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Dick stood up in the car and kept his eyes 
glued to the road ahead. 

{The Boy Troopers on the Trail) 


{Page 71) 


THE BOY TROOPERS 
ON THE TRAIL 


By CLAIR W. HAYES 

H 


Author of 

“The Boy Allies Series ” “The Boy Troopers in the 
Northwest ” “The Boy Troopers on Strike Duty” 
“The Boy Troopers Among the Wild 
Mountaineers” 



A. L. BURT COMPANY 
Publishers New York 




THE 

BOY TROOPERS SERIES 

A Series of Stories for Boys 12 to 16 Years of Age 

By CLAIR W. HAYES 

The Boy Troopers on the Trail 
The Boy Troopers in the Northwest 
The Boy Troopers on Strike Duty 
The Boy Troopers Among the Wild Moun- 
taineers 


Copyright. 1922 
By A. L. BURT COMPANY 

THE BOY TROOPERS ON THE TRAIL 


Made in “U. S. A.” 


APR 21 1922 


©CIA661388 


THE BOY TROOPERS 
ON THE TRAIL 


CHAPTER I. 

THE BROTHERS. 

Awakened by a crash, Dick Hazelton sat up 
in bed and strained his ears. At sound of a sec- 
ond crash, he slipped quickly from between the 
sheets, slid his feet into a pair of tennis shoes, and, 
clad only in a pair of pajamas, stole out into the hall. 

“Something wrong,” he told himself as he 
reached the stairs and began to descend. “I've got 
to investigate.” 

Silently reaching the foot of the stairs he paused 
a moment, trying to locate the place from which the 
sound came. Even as he stood listening there 
came another crash as of broken glass, followed 
by a loud thump. 

“Somebody in the parlor,” he muttered. “Sounds 
like he had overturned the table.” 

3 


4 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Cautiously Dick moved along the hall, guiding 
himself in the darkness by touching the wall. 

As he drew close to the parlor door, he caught 
sight of a ray of light through the keyhole. 

“Making himself at home, whoever he is,” said 
Dick to himself.” I’d better be careful.” 

At the door he paused and put his eye to the key- 
hole. Through it he saw a sight which sent his 
heart into his mouth. Without hesitation he threw 
open the door and leaped inside. 

“Hold him, Tom!” he shouted. “Fm coming!” 

Of two figures struggling on the floor, one was 
that of his elder brother. 

On top of him was a desperate appearing man, 
who was using all his strength to seize his brother 
by the throat. 

Stirred to renewed effort by Dick’s sudden en- 
trance — which for the moment also startled his op- 
ponent — Tom Hazelton made a desperate effort and 
threw off his enemy. 

“Get out of here, Dick.” he cried as he sprang to 
his feet, “I can handle this fellow! It’s no place 
for you!” 

The words had scarcely left his mouth when his 
adversary again sprang at him. 

In another instant they were engaged in a fierce 
struggle. 

Now Dick had all the confidence in the world in 


ON THE TRAIL 


5 


his brother’s ability to take care of himself in a 
rough and tumble. Nevertheless he stood his 
ground, ready to lend a hand should the occasion 
arise. 

And presently such an occasion offered itself. 

When the two men grappled, it appeared for sev- 
eral seconds that the advantage was with Tom, a 
stalwart young man of twenty-five, who had proved 
his ability as an athlete in many ways. Unexpect- 
edly, however, conditions changed. 

By a quick movement Tom’s opponent thrust out 
his right foot. It caught Tom in the back of his 
knees, and with a strong push sent him staggering. 

In vain Tom endeavored to steady himself. He 
went over backward with a crash and in an instant 
his adversary was on top of him. 

Tom ceased to struggle and lay perfectly still. 

Dick instantly detected the cause of his brother’s 
condition. In falling, Tom’s head had struck the 
edge of the table and for the moment the stranger 
. in the Iiazelton house was master of the situation. 

But it was for a moment only. 

.With a cry of anger, Dick sprang to the table, 
seized a heavy paperweight and, before Tom’s op- 
ponent could protect himself, brought his improvised 
weapon down upon the man’s head with all the 
force he could put into the blow. 

The struggle was over. It had ended so sud- 


6 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


denly that Dick stepped back aghast. For a mo- 
ment he shuddered at thought of what he had done; 
but it was for a moment only. 

Stooping down he dragged the body of his vic- 
tim aside and then knelt beside his brother. 

Already consciousness was returning to Tom and; 
directly he sat up and rubbed his head. His eye 
fell on the prostrate form of his late adversary. 

“Hello,” he said. “So I did for him before I 
went under, eh? Guess it’s a good thing I did or 
he would have got away while I was lying here 
unconscious.” 

“Well,” said Dick briefly, “you want to thank 
me that he’s still here.” 

“That so?” asked Tom. “What did you have 
to do with it.” 

“I walloped him with this paperweight,” replied 
Dick, indicating the weapon, which he had replaced 
on the table. 

“Jove!” said Tom, getting to his feet. “Is that 
so? You must have walloped him pretty hard.” 

“Seems to me that was the thing to do,” re- 
turned Dick. 

“So it was,” agreed his brother. “But let’s have 
a look at him.” 

He stooped over, picked the unconscious man up 
in his arms, and deposited him on a sofa in one 


ON THE TRAIL 


7 


corner of the room. Then he examined the wound 
Dick had inflicted. 

“Nothing serious,” was his diagnosis at last. 
“He’ll come to in a few minutes. Dick, get me some 
water and a towel.” 

Dick followed his brother’s instructions and upon 
his return helped bathe and dress the man’s head. 

“Who is he ? he asked of his brother. 

“Name of Tompkins,” was Tom’s reply, “al- 
though he’ll probably deny it. He’s wanted in con- 
nection with the robbery of the First National Bank 
in Johnstown. I learned there yesterday that he 
had headed for Harrisburg and trailed him. I ran 
across him on Market street tonight and followed 
him across the bridge. He was headed this way 
so I waited until we were almost here before nailing 
him.” 

“How’d he get in the house?” Dick wanted to 
know. 

“I’m coming to that. When I grabbed him he 
seemed quiet enough. I brought him in here to 
phone for the patrol wagon and while I was at the 
phone he tackled me. I guess you heard the rest 
of it.” 

“I did,” said Dick, “and a good thing for you, 
too.” 

“Right you are, youngster; but our man is com- 
ing to again. We’ll see what he has to say.” 


8 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


He sat down and eyed his prisoner as the other 
slowly sat up on the sofa. 

"‘Well, Tompkins, how do you feel? ,, he asked. 

The other scowled. 

“My name’s not Tompkins,” he growled, “but 
my head hurts.” 

“It should,” agreed Tom. “My kid brother here 
dropped a paperweight on it. A little pain natur- 
ally follows such a proceedure.” 

The man called Tompkins glared at Dick. 

“I’ll remember that,” he threatened. “I’ll repay 
you with interest some day.” 

Dick smiled. 

“My address’ll be the same for some years, I 
guess,” he replied. “Look me up when you come 
to town again, though I don’t think you’ll return 
soon.” 

“Right again, youngster,” said Tom with a 
laugh. “For the next few years I believe the ad- 
dress of our friend Tompkins will be the state pen- 
itentiary; so when he pays his hetum visit I guess 
you’ll be big enough to take care of yourself.” 

“I’m big enough for that now,” declared Dick. 

Tom shrugged. 

“Don’t get cocky, youngster,” he advised. 
“You’re only a bantam as yet and you’re ’way out 
of your class. Now, you stay here and watch this 
fellow. I’ll phone for the patrol wagon.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


9 


He stepped into the hall. 

But again it appeared that Tom had reckoned 
without his host — had counted his chickens before 
they were hatched. 

Hardly had Tom stepped from the parlor than 
Tompkins came suddenly to his feet and made a 
rush at Dick. 

“No you don't,” said Dick, and dodged. 

Tompkins made no second effort to reach the lad. 
Instead, he stepped quickly across the floor and 
smashed in the front window pane with a single 
blow of his fist. Before Dick could again seize the 
paperweight, which quick thought prompted him 
to hurl after the fugitive, the man jumped through 
the window into the darkness. 

“Quick, Tom!” shouted Dick. “He’s gone!” 

And without thought of the danger he might en- 
counter without, he leaped through the window 
after him. 

By the time Tom could return to the parlor, 
both Tompkins and his brother had disappeared. 
Tom uttered an angry exclamation. 

“That kid’ll get into trouble, sure,” he told him- 
self; “and it’s my fault. I had no business leaving 
them alone. Well, I’ll have to catch them; that’s 
all.” 

He followed the others through the window. 

When Dick stepped upon the porch Tompkins 


10 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


was descending the porch steps four at a time. At 
the bottom, he wheeled and dashed down Crescent 
street toward Oak. 

Dick followed him. 

“Hi there !” the lad shouted. “Stop!” 

The fugitive only seemed to run the faster. 

Dick sprinted, and gained on Tompkins. Then 
he slowed down again. 

“I can't tackle him,” he told himself. “He’d 
make mincemeat of me. Guess I’ll just keep him 
in sight.” 

Behind him Dick heard his brother’s footsteps 
as Tom joined the chase, and knowing that assist- 
ance was close at hand, he sprinted again. 

Across the long curved bridge over the Pennsyl- 
vania railroad tracks ran pursuers and pursued. At 
the foot of the bridge Tompkins turned abruptly 
and dashed into the railroad yards. 

“By George! We’ll lose him here if we don’t 
look sharp,” was Dick’s muttered exclamation. “If 
a train should come along now, and should come 
between us — ” 

And what the lad feared came to pass. 

There came the blast of a locomotive whistle and 
a fiery eye gleamed in the darkness close at hand. 

Tompkins crossed the track ahead of the engine 
by a desperate spring, and was shut from Dick’s 
view by a roaring string of freight cars. 


ON THE TEAIL 


11 


For a moment Dick hesitated. Then, with a cry 
over his shoulder to his brother, he grasped the 
rail of a passing car and swung aboard. It was the 
matter of a moment to crawl across the car, and a 
moment later the lad dropped to the ground on the 
other side. 

Tom, who had seen his brother's action, ex- 
claimed : 

“Confound that youngster. He'll be killed 
sure." 

He ran alongside the train, prepared to swing 
aboard himself. 


CHAPTER II. 

ON THE TRAIL. 

Richard Hazelton, at the time this story opens, 
was a lad of fifteen. All his life he had lived in 
Harrisburg, the capital city of Pennsylvania. At 
the time this story opens he had just completed his 
third year in high school. 

It was the month of June, and Dick had just 
started in upon his summer vacation. 

Despite his lack of years, Dick was well devel- 
oped physically. In stature he had almost reached 


12 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


his full growth, being only a couple of inches under 
six feet. He was sturdy and strong. 

Always athletically inclined, Dick had reached a 
point where he could hold his own with boys farther 
advanced in years in a rough and tumble, or with 
his fists. In fact, he had often expressed the be- 
lief that there were few among his brother Tom's 
friends with whom he would be afraid to take issue. 

Ever since Dick had been large enough to face 
his brother, the two, had very frequently engaged 
in boxing and wrestling bouts. Of course Dick 
was no match for Tom in either sport, although as 
the years passed he grew harder and harder for 
Tom to master. 

Dick’s particular chum and classmate was Ralph 
Harkness. Ralph, the day following the closing 
of school, had gone to Pittsburgh to visit his aunt 
and uncle. There Dick was to join him the fol- 
lowing week. The two boys planned to spend at 
least a month in the “Smoky City” before return- 
ing home to complete their vacation. 

Dick’s father and mother were in Washington. 
Mr. Hazelton, who owned one of the city’s smaller 
drygoods stores, had gone east to buy goods and 
was returning by way of the nation’s capital. With 
Mrs. Hazelton, he was spending several days in 
Washington. 

Dick’s brother Tom was a member of the Penn- 


ON THE TRAIL 


13 


sylvania State Police — or the Mounted Constabu- 
lary — as the force was more familiarly known to 
the people of the state. Graduating from college 
several years before, he had chosen to devote the 
next period of life to running down the lawbreakers 
in the state — this in spite of his father’s protests. 
Mr. Hazelton, for a short time, had been insistant 
that Tom go into his store and learn the business 
which would be turned over to him some day. 

But Tom had been adamant, so his father had 
at last given his consent. 

In the line of duty, Tom was absent from home 
most of the time, but upon the rare occasions where 
he spent a few days in Harrisburg he was wont to 
regale Dick with such thrilling stories that Dick 
himself had often expressed the desire to follow in 
his brother’s footsteps. 

But to all such talk, Mr. Hazelton turned a deaf 
ear; Tom also advised strongly against it. 

‘It’s a great life,” he often said, “but one mem- 
ber of the Hazelton family in the troop is enough.” 

“Then,” said his father, “you do wrong to re- 
late these so-called thrilling stories to Dick.” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” replied Tom. “He likes 
to hear ’em. I guess he’ll forget ’em by the time 
he is old enough to think seriously of what he wants 
to do.” 

But in this, as Dick knew, his brother was wrong. 


14 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Now, the Pennsylvania mounted police — state 
troopers they are often called — is perhaps one of 
the most famous bodies of men in the United States. 
For years they have been the terror of lawbreakers 
in the Keystone state, over which they roam, north, 
east, south and west, — either on horseback, or, of 
later years, on motorcycles. A systematic patrol 
is maintained continually. For efficiency in patrol 
work, the state is divided into sections, to each of 
which a troop is assigned, all acting under orders 
from state headquarters. 

The headquarters of Troop G to which Tom 
Hazelton was attached, was located at Lancaster, 
but at the time this story opens Tom had been de- 
tailed to the special assignment of helping to dis- 
cover and arrest the men who had been implicated 
in the robbery of the First National Bank of Johns- 
town. 

Of course, search for the culprits was being made 
in other parts of the state; but word having been 
flashed to troop headquarters in Lancaster that the 
men had been heard of in that section. Captain 
Mahon of Troop G had assigned Tom to the case 
as the best man for this particular kind of work. 

The trail was now almost a week old, as already 
narrated, Tom had been successful in picking it up 
in Johnstown and (had followed his quarry to Har- 
risburg, with the result as seen. Now, as he swung 


ON THE TBAIL 


15 


aboard the freight train that separated him from 
Tompkins and Dick, he determined to take no fur- 
ther chances with the fugitive, should fortune again 
deliver him into his hands. 

When Tom dropped to the ground on the other 
side of the train, Dick, safe despite the speed the 
train was making when he swung from it, was 
again running rapidly after Tompkins, whom he 
could see some distance down the track. 

“Dm going to tackle him regardless of conse- 
quences, if I can come up with him,” Dick panted 
under his breath as he dashed along in the semi- 
darkness. “Hello! There he goes across the 
tracks. I’ll have to look sharp or I’ll lose him if 
another train comes along.” 

He increased his pace and gained on the fugi- 
tive. 

A moment later Tompkins swerved abruptly and 
ran toward the not-far-distant passenger station. 

Despite the best effort Dick could put forth, the 
man reached the station and climbed aboard a train 
that was just moving out, before Dick could come 
up with him. 

With a last effort Dick spurted for the train and 
reached it only to have the vestibule closed in his 
face. 

Dick paused, helpless. 

“Now, that’s what I call tough luck,” he de- 


16 THE BOY TROOPERS 

dared as the train slid by him, gradually gaining mo- 
mentum. 

But there was nothing the lad could do. He 
turned and retraced his steps, and presently, in the 
darkness beyond the train shed, espied Tom, mak- 
ing toward the station as rapidly as possible. 

“Where’d he go?” demanded Tom, stopping be- 
side his brother. 

“Hopped a train,” replied Dick. “I tried to get 
aboard, but he closed the vestibule in my face.” 

“Which way?” asked Tom. 

“West; on the Pittsburgh express, I think.” 

“He can’t get off this side of Altoona, then,” de- 
clared Tom. “I’ll wire ahead and have him nabbed 
there. Come on.” 

He led the way quickly toward the telegraph of- 
fice in the station waiting room, where he dis- 
patched the following message : 

“Chief of Police, 

“Altoona, Pa. — Rodney Tompkins, wanted Johns- 
town National Bank robbery due Altoona aboard 
Pittsburgh express at 1 1 :40. Arrest and hold. 
Grey suit, black shoes, panama hat. Smooth face. 
Forty years old. Hazelton, Pennsylvania mounted.” 

“There,” he said after passing the message to 
the operator, “that ought to get him.” 

“And what are you going to do?” demanded 
Dick. 


ON THE TRAIL 


17 


“Catch the next train and go after him,” was 
Tom’s reply. 

Then as he raised his eyes and took a good look 
at Dick, he burst into a laugh. 

“Say youngster !” he exclaimed, “don’t you think 
it would be a pretty good idea for you to go home 
and get into bed before daylight. Pajamas are all 
right for chasing burglars in the dark, but they 
don’t look very well about a railway station.” 

Dick joined in the laughter. 

“I had clean forgotten what I had on in the 
excitement,” he said. “It’s a mighty good thing I 
happened to slip on my tennis shoes, I’d have had 
hard running over the cinders if I’d been bare- 
footed.” 

He started to leave the station and then stopped 
in his tracks. He had been struck with a brilliant 
idea. 

“Say, Tom,” he exclaimed as he slowly retraced 
his steps, “what’s the matter taking me along with 
you to Altoona?” 

“What? In that garb?” 

“Oh, I’ve plenty of time to go home and dress 
before train time.” 

“But what’s the idea?” insisted Tom. 

“Well,” replied Dick, “I’ve been mixed up in 
this case a little bit and I’d like to see it through.” 


18 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“And what do you think Dad would have to say 
about it?” demanded Tom with a smile. 

“I guess he’d object if he were here,” was Dick’s 
answer. “But fortunately he’s not. Come on now, 
Tom.” 

For a moment Tom turned the matter over in his 
mind. 

“I guess it won’t hurt anything,” he decided at 
last. “Tompkins will be safe enough when we get 
there, and all I’ll have to do is to take him on to 
Johnstown in the morning. If there were any 
danger attached I would say no on the instant, but 
I guess there is nothing to be afraid of.” 

“I know there isn’t,” agreed Dick. 

“All right, then. I’ll get you a ticket.” 

While waiting for the next train, the two re- 
paired to the Hazelton residence where they did full 
justice to rather an elaborate meal out of the ice- 
box. Two hours later found them aboard a train 
speeding toward Altoona, which they were due to 
reach shortly after 2 o’clock in the morning. 

Despite the fact that it was far beyond his bed- 
time hour, Dick was so excited by the events of the 
past few hours that he was unable to follow his 
brother’s example and sleep. He turned the affair 
over in his mind until the brakeman called, “Al- 
toona!” 

“Well,” here we are,” said Tom, just as though 


ON THE TRAIL 


19 


he had been awake all the time. “Let's get out." 

They moved to the platform and waited until the 
train stopped. Alighting a moment later they made 
their way through the deserted streets from the 
station to the Colonial hotel, several blocks away. 

“Might as well get fixed up for a few hours 
sleep," Tom explained. “Then we’ll go to police 
headquarters, see that they have our man safely, 
and turn in. I’ll leave him in a cell overnight, and 
take him on in the morning. You can go home 
then." 

“Can’t I go to Johnstown with you, so I can 
have company on the way back home ?’’ asked Dick. 

Tom shook his head. 

“I think not, he replied. “It’s entirely possible 
that after I reach Johnstown I’ll be ordered to re- 
port some place else. I may not get back to Har- 
risburg for a week." 

With this Dick was forced to be content. 

The two brothers were shown to a pleasantly ap- 
pointed room. 

“Suits us for to-night, I guess," remarked Tom. 
“Eh, Dick?" 

“Right, Tom," Dick agreed. 

“Then we’ll go to headquarters," said Tom, “un- 
less you’d rather turn in?" and he looked at Dick 
inquiringly. 


20 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Not much,” said Dick decisively. “Pm going 
to stick on this case just as long as I can.” 

“All right, youngster,” rejoined Tom. “Come 
on, then.” 

It was only a short walk to headquarters, Dick 
entered close on Tom’s heels. 

“Chief in?” inquired Tom of the desk sergeant. 

“At this hour?” demanded the sergeant. “Not 
likely.” 

“I’m Hazelton of the mounted,” Tom went on. 
“Wired from Harrisburg about the Johnstown bank 
robbery a few hours ago. Did you get my man ?” 

Tom stepped back in dismay at the sergeant’s 
reply. 

“Nope,” he said. “We nailed him, all right, 
but he gave my men the slip in the yards !” 


CHAPTER III. 

THE TRAIL LEADS TO PITTSBURGH. 

Tom sat down abruptly in the nearest chair. The 
desk sergeant grinned. 

“Don’t take it so hard,” he admonished. “Ac- 
cidents will happen, you know.” 

“So I perceive,” said Tom dryly. “Why didn’t 
you catch him?” 


ON THE TRAIL 


21 


“Tried,” said the sergeant, “ but you know it’s 
pretty dark in those yards. Man with a little start 
can disappear pretty quick.” 

“The thing I don’t see,” said Tom, “is just how 
he got that start. Why didn’t you get him before 
he got off the train?” 

“We had him,” declared the sergeant, “but maybe 
you’ll tell me what to do when a man goes through 
a car window?” 

“Go after him,” said Tom. 

“Trouble is we don’t have that kind of men on 
the force,” said the desk sergeant. “My men are 
more or less given to avoirdupois. Neither are they 
noted for speed, and by the time they could get out 
the door, your man had disappeared. It’s too bad !” 

“So it is,” Tom agreed, “but it can’t be helped 
now. You don’t have any idea where he went?” 

“No; but the chances are he’ll hop a freight to- 
night, though it’s possible he may lie around until 
morning.” 

“All right, sergeant,” said Tom. “Much obliged 
just the same. Come, Dick, we may as well turn 
in.” 

In spite of himself during Tom’s conversation 
with the sergeant, Dick had felt his spirits rising. 
He was perfectly well aware of the fact that he 
should sympathize with his brother in his misfor- 
tune; but he simply could not do it. 


22 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“It’s not over after all,” he kept telling himself. 
“Maybe I won’t have to go right home.” 

Nevertheless he said nothing of these thoughts 
to his brother as they walked back to their hotel, 
and he went to bed still thinking of Tompkins and 
the possibility that he might remain longer “on 
the trail.” 

As Dick slept he dreamed; and his dream had 
to do with Tompkins, and other law breakers. 
When he awoke with the sunlight streaming in his 
eyes it was with the lure of the chase still fresh in 
his mind. 

He glanced to the opposite side of the room, 
where Tom should have been sleeping. Tom was 
not there. 

Dick jumped out of his bed and looked at his 
watch. 

“Eight thirty,” he said. “I should have been up 
an hour ago. Doesn’t look as though I would 
make much of a state trooper. Wonder where 
Tom went, anyhow.” 

As he glanced about the room, his eyes fell upon 
a note on the table. He opened it. 

“Gone out for breakfast,” Tom’s message read. 
“Didn’t want to disturb you. Will be back by 
9 : 30 .” 

“Guess I’ll go down and eat a bite myself,” Dick 
told himself. 


ON THE TRAIL 


23 


He dressed and went downstairs. Instead of go- 
ing into the dining room, he passed out upon the 
street in search of a restaurant. His footsteps led 
him toward the station. 

“Might as well eat here, I guess,” he muttered, 
and approached the lunch counter. 

And as he did so the sight of a figure just going 
through the train gate arrested his attention and sent' 
his heart into his throat. 

“Tompkins, or I’m dreaming!” he exclaimed. 

Forgotten on the instant was the lad’s hunger. 
He ran toward the gate and would have passed 
through had he not been halted by the gateman, 
who demanded: 

“Ticket.” 

“Where does that train go to?” demanded Dick. 

“Pittsburgh,” replied the gateman. “First stop 
Johnstown, but you’ll have to have a ticket if you 
want to get aboard.” 

But Dick had not heard his last words. He was 
dashing toward the ticket office. 

Fortunately, Dick always carried a small amount 
of money with him, and slapping a five dollar bill 
on the window he called for a ticket to Johnstown. 

Then, sweeping the change into his pocket, he 
hurried back to the train. 

“You’ll have to hurry,” said the gateman and 


24 THE BOY TROOPERS 

Dick dashed for the train, which already was mov- 
ing. 

Dick found a seat and sat down. For a moment 
he turned the situation over in his mind. 

“He’ll probably get off at Johnstown/’ he rea- 
soned, “but if he doesn’t I’ll have to go on to 
Pittsburgh. I’m not going to lose sight of him if 
I can help it. If he gets off at Johnstown I’ll have 
time to wire Tom. I’ll probably have time even if 
he doesn’t get off there and can wire Tom I am 
going on to Pittsburgh. I’ll tell him to hunt me 
up at Ralph’s uncle’s.” 

After the conductor had taken his ticket, Dick 
bethought himself to make sure that Tompkins was 
on the train. Pulling his cap well down over his 
eyes, he moved into the smoking car, thinking to 
begin his search there. 

Dick knew that there was very little possibility 
of Tompkins recognizing him, but he realized that 
it was best to be on the safe side. Accordingly he 
acted with caution. 

From the front of the smoking car he walked 
slowly along the aisle scanning each face as he did 
so. Toward the rear of the car he saw a figure 
slumped down in a seat, face half averted. Even 
at that distance something told him that the man 
was Tompkins. 

Dick was right, as he made certain on closer 


ON THE TEAIL 25 

inspection, taking extreme care that he himself was 
not observed scanning the other too closely. 

“Well, my search has ended, at all events,” the 
lad told himself. “Now if I can just keep him in 
sight.” 

He sank down in a seat several removed from 
Tompkins and kept his eyes glued upon the fugitive. 

At last the conductor called Johnstown. Dick 
was instantly on the alert; but Tompkins showed 
no signs of moving, only huddled down closer in 
his seat. 

“Afraid of being recognized,” Dick muttered. 
“Well, he's not going to get off here; that's sure.” 

From his pocket he produced a notebook and pen- 
cil. He scribbled upon a leaf and then tore it out. 

“Messengers usually go through the trains here,” 
he told himself. “But if one doesn't I’m out of 
luck; and Tom will be worried.” 

But fortune was with Dick. 

Hardly had the train stopped when a boy in a 
Blue uniform appeared, crying: 

“Telegrams !” 

Dick glanced at the message quickly before giv- 
ing it to the boy with half a dollar.” 

“Following Tompkins to Pittsburgh,” it read. 
“Find me with Ralph,” and gave the Pittsburgh 
address. “Hurry.” 

“There; that’s done,” said Dick as the boy de- 


26 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


parted with the message. "Now for another long 
wait.” 

Presently the train started again and Dick sank 
back in his seat. He paid his fare when the con- 
ductor came around, and then gave his undivided 
attention to Tompkins. 

But in spite of the best efforts the lad put forth 
to keep awake, he several times caught himself 
drowsing; and at last, rocked by the motion of the 
train and swept by the cooling breeze that came 
through the open window, he fell asleep. 

So the train passed through Latrobe and Greens- 
burg, making stops at both towns, and Dick still 
slept. 

Nearly two hours later the lad came to himself 
with a start. The brakeman was crying "East Lib- 
erty.” 

Dick glanced toward where Tompkins had sat. 
The man was gone. Dick's heart leaped into his 
throat and he jumped to his feet and dashed to the 
platform. But as he left the door he stopped sud- 
denly, for there, waiting for the train to stop, was 
Tompkins. 

Dick breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Almost lost him,” he muttered. 

Gradually the train slowed down and before it 
could stop Tompkins jumped off and hurried along 


ON THE TRAIL 


27 


the platform. Dick, his cap still pulled well down 
over his eyes, followed him. 

Fortunately for Dick, Tompkins must have 
thought he had eluded all pursuit, for he did not so 
much as glance around once to see whether he was 
followed. Dick kept as close behind him as he felt 
safe. 

Tompkins climbed the steps to the street and 
caught a Frankstown Road car toward Pittsburgh. 
By a sprint, Dick also managed to get aboard and 
took a rear seat. Tompkins sat well up in front. 

At the Pennsylvania railroad station in Pitts- 
burgh Tompkins alighted. So did Dick. 

“Great Scott! Hope he’s not going to get an- 
other train,” Dick said under his breath. “I haven’t 
got money enough to go much farther. Besides, 
if he gets out of the state we can’t bring him back 
without a lot of red tape.” 

But, as it developed, Dick’s fears were ground- 
less. 

The boy followed Tompkins from the station, 
down the long approach, along Liberty street to 
Smithfield and thence to Fifth avenue, where Tomp- 
kins turned again. Here the chase ended for the 
moment. Tompkins turned into a restaurant. 

“Thank goodness,” muttered Dick, as he too en- 
tered and took a seat at some distance from Tomp- 
kins. 


28 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


He gave an order, then went to the telephone 
in a booth at one side of the room. 

It was the work of but a few minutes to get his 
chum, Ralph Harkness, on the telephone. 

“Ralph,” he said, talking quickly, “I’m in a res- 
taurant at Fifth avenue and Smithfield street. I’m 
trailing a man Tom is trying to catch. Maybe 
you can help.” 

“You bet I can,” came Ralph’s voice over the 
phone. “I’ll be right there as quick as a car can 
get me there.” 

“That won’t be quick enough, I’m afraid,” said 
Dick. “There’s a garage across the street from 
you. Get some one to bring you in a machine.” 

“Right,” said Ralph. 

“Wait a minute,” said Dick. “Bring some 
money along, will you? I’m running low and we 
may need some before this chase ends.” 

“Right,” came Ralph’s voice again, and the re- 
ceiver clicked on the hook. 

Dick also replaced the receiver and returned to 
his table, where a girl was just placing his order. 
Across the room Dick could see Tompkins prepar- 
ing to do justice to ham and eggs. 

“Now if Ralph just gets here in time,” the lad 
muttered, as he turned his attention to two fried 
eggs and a cup of coffee. 


ON THE TRAIL 


29 


CHAPTER IV. 

RALPH ARRIVES IN TIME. 

Keeping one eye on Tompkins, Dick heeded the 
cravings of the inner man. It was now after noon, 
and having gone without his breakfast, the lad was 
extremely hungry. 

From Tompkin’s actions Dick could see that the 
former also had been without food for some time. 
Having finished his first order of ham and eggs, 
Tompkins called for a second. Dick fortified him- 
self with a second cup of coffee. He drank it 
slowly in order that he might not finish too long 
before Tompkins; then the lad made his way to 
the cashier’s desk and paid his check. 

Leaving the restaurant, he took up his stand a 
few feet away, his cap well over his eyes. He now 
found himself keeping a double vigil — one for 
Tompkins when that worthy emerged from the res- 
taurant, and a second for Ralph, whom he expected 
at almost any minute. 

Fortune was with Dick, for Ralph arrived first. 

A taxicab, apparently ignoring all traffic laws, 
wheeled on to Fifth avenue from Smithfield street 
and drew up before the restaurant. A figure leaped 


30 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


out quickly and would have entered had not Dick 
stayed him with a cry. 

“Ralph!” he called. 

Ralph came toward Dick and the two lads clasped 
hands. 

Still keeping an eye on the restaurant door, Dick 
outlined the situation to his chum in a few brief 
words. 

“Fine,” was Ralph's comment. “Fve always had 
a desire to mix in something like this, and here’s 
my chance. Tell me, Dick what are you going to 
do?” 

“I don’t know exactly,” replied Dick. “But I’m 
going to keep my eye on this fellow if it’s humanly 
possible. I wired Tom from Johnstown to look 
for me at your uncle’s here, so he should arrive 
before long.” 

“Trouble is, we may not be there then,” re- 
marked Ralph. 

“I’ve thought of that. If we can track Tomp- 
kins to some place where he puts up for the night, 
we may be able to let Tom know in time.” 

“Right,” Ralph agreed. 

“By the way,” said Dick. “How about money? 
Did you bring any?” 

“I did,” replied Ralph, reaching in his trousers 
pocket and producing a roll of bills. “There’s a 
hundred dollars in this roll. As you know, I have 


ON THE TRAIL 31 

been saving for a long time, and it’s a good thing, 
too.” 

“So it is,” agreed Dick. “Well, you’d better 
give me about half of it.” 

The transfer was made, and then Ralph spoke 
again. 

“I’ve got something else that may come in handy, 
too,” he said. 

“What is it?” demanded Dick. 

“A pair of revolvers. Remember the pair my 
uncle sent me for my last birthday?” 

“Yes.” 

“They’re the ones. They are loaded, too, and 
I’ve an extra supply of cartridges in my pocket.” 

“Then we’d better split up on them too,” de- 
clared Dick. 

Taking care that no one should see him, Ralph 
passed one of the revolvers to Dick and gave him 
a handfull of cartridges. 

“Now,” said Dick, “as Tom would say — we’re 
all set. Be ready to follow me when Tompkins 
comes out. Try and get a look at him if possible, 
so you will recognize him again.” 

Ralph nodded his understanding and took up a 
position a short distance from the door, where he 
scanned every face that passed. 

At last Tompkins emerged. Ralph recognized 
the man from Dick’s description. Tompkins turned 


32 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


toward Smithfield street. Dick followed. Ralph 
rejoined his chum and the two lads took up the 
chase together. 

Tompkins walked along Smithfield street toward 
Fourth avenue. He passed Third and Second, with 
the lads still close behind him. 

“I’m pretty well acquainted in Pittsburgh,” said 
Dick, “but I’ll have to leave direction to you Ralph. 
You know more about this city than I do.” 

“Stick to me and you won’t get lost,” replied 
Ralph with a grin. “Without knowing, I should 
say that our man is making either for the Baltimore 
and Ohio or the Lake Erie depot.” 

“That means that he may be figuring on getting 
out of the state, eh?” asked Dick. 

“It all depends,” was Ralph’s reply. “He may 
get out on either road, of course. Then again, he 
may be simply going to one of the nearby towns.” 

The latter turned out to be the case. 

Tompkins entered the Baltimore and Ohio sta- 
tion and went directly to the ticket window. 

“Get close and find out where’s he’s going,” said 
Dick hurriedly. “He might recognize me.” 

Ralph fell in line behind Tompkins and heard 
the latter ask for a ticket to Connellsville. Ralph 
bought two tickets and returned to Dick. 

Five minutes later the two lads boarded the train 


ON THE TRAIL 33 

behind Tompkins and took seats close to him in the 
smoker. 

“We've got him in sight for an hour and a half, 
anyhow," said Ralph. 

“Unless the ticket is a blind," Dick agreed. “He 
may drop off some place." 

“He may," Ralph agreed, “but I don’t believe he 
will." 

Ralph was right. 

Tompkins continued to Connellsville. There, 
after leaving the train, he hurried toward a street 
car standing near the depot. The car was marked 
Greensburg. A great light dawned on Dick. 

“By George ! He’s simply doubling on his 
tracks," he declared. “Find out how long before 
that car starts, Ralph." 

Ralph asked no questions, but hastened to obey. 

“Ten minutes," he repeated a moment later. 

“Good," ejaculated Dick. “Time enough. Now 
you stay here and keep your eye on him." 

Dick hastened back in the station, where he had 
noticed a telegraph office as he came through. There 
he indicted a telegram to Tom at the address of 
Ralph’s uncle in Pittsburgh. Then he returned to 
Ralph, and the lads climbed aboard the car. 

“Where’d you go?" demanded Ralph, as the car 
started. 

“Sent a telegram to Tom," was Dick’s reply. 


34 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Oh. What did you say?” 

“Told him to catch the first train back to Harris- 
burg — that our man was headed that way.” 

“By George! I believe you figured it out,” ex- 
claimed Ralph. “Our man is simply crossing to 
Greensburg to catch the Pennsylvania back to Har- 
risburg.” 

“Precisely. Now it will take us an hour and a 
half at least to get there. If Tom gets my wire 
he should catch the first train. It may be the first 
train to pass through Greensburg after we get 
there.” 

“And it may not,” said Ralph. 

“That’s true enough. But if it is and Tom is 
aboard our friend Tompkins won’t be free much 
longer.” 

“Did you make it clear to Tom that we are fol- 
lowing Tompkins to Greensburg?” 

“Of course. I’ve a few more brains than you 
seem to give me credit for.” 

“I just wanted to know,” said Ralph apologet- 
ically. 

But this time fortune was not with the lads. 
They reached Greensburg without having been no- 
ticed by Tompkins and followed him aboard a Har- 
risburg-bound train half an hour later. 

Dick feared that Tom, in Pittsburgh, had not 
had time to catch this flyer, but nevertheless, leav- 


ON THE TRAIL 


35 


ing Ralph to keep an eye on Tompkins in the 
smoker, he made a tour of the train. 

Tom was not aboard. 

“We’ll just have to keep an eye on him until 
something turns up,” he told Ralph upon his return. 

It was after dark when the train reached Harris- 
burg. The lads followed Tompkins closely as he 
left the train and ascended the stairs to the station. 
This was not hard to do because of the crowd, and 
there was little possibility that the lads would be 
recognized. 

Tompkins led the way along Market street to- 
ward the river. He turned north on Fourth street, 
walked past the Capitol and passed to Sixth street, 
where he continued north. 

In the darkness the two lads kept closer to him 
than they would have dared in the light of day, 
but luck was with them. It appeared that Tomp- 
kins was certain he had shaken off all possible pur- 
suit, for not once did he so much as turn and glance 
behind him. 

At Herr Street Tompkins paused. Then, for 
the first time, he looked around. Dick and Ralph 
shrank into a convenient doorway. Apparently 
satisfied, Tompkins crossed the street and entered 
the door of what Dick and Ralph knew was an 
apartment house. 

Apparently the chase was at an end. The lads 


36 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


realized that it would be dangerous for them to 
enter the apartment close on the heels of Tompkins, 
so there was nothing to do but to wait until they 
were certain he was out of sight. 

Then they went in. 

Dick accosted the young colored boy bn the el- 
evator. 

“Did Mr. Tompkins go to his room?” he asked. 

“Tompkins? questioned the boy. “There is no 
Mistah Tompkins hyah.” 

“I mean the man who just went up,” said Dick. 

“Oh,” said the colored boy. “He went to see 
Mistah Martin in Apahtment 310.” 

“That’s where we want to go, then,” said Dick. 
“I understand from Mr. Tompkins that he lived 
here himself.” 

“No suh,” said the boy, “but get in, I’ll take you 
up.” 

The lads did so, and a moment later stepped off 
at the third floor. 

“Fust apahtment to the left around the corner, 
there,” said the boy, pointing. 

He closed the elevator gate and the car de- 
scended. 

“Now what?” demanded Ralph of Dick in a 
whisper. “We’re up here, but you don’t mean to 
go right in, do you?” 

“If we can get in,” declared Dick. “I’ll tell you, 


ON THE TRAIL 


37 


Ralph, we’ve played this game too long. Tomp- 
kins may stay in there all night, and he may not. 
There are two of us, and there is only one of him 
Besides, we are armed and know how to shoot if 
we have to. I’m in favor of forcing things a bit.” 

“I’m game if you are,” declared Ralph. “Lead 
the way, general.” 

They made their way quickly along the hall and 
stopped in front of apartment No. 310. Without 
hesitation, Dick tried the knob. The door was 
locked. Making sure that his revolver was ready 
in his pocket, he rapped sharply. 

“Who’s there?” came a voice from within. Steps 
crossed toward the door. 

Dick braced himself for a rush. 


CHAPTER V. 

A STRUGGLE. 

Just inside the door the footsteps halted; a 
hand fumbled with the knob. 

“Who’s there?” came again in Tompkins’ voice. 
With a finger to his lip Dick cautioned Ralph to 
silence. 


38 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


The lads heard the key turn in the lock and a 
moment later the door opened a crack. Instantly 
Dick thrust his foot against it and both boys threw 
their weight against the door, forcing it inward. 

In vain Tompkins sought to close the door again. 
His strength was not as great as that of Dick and 
Ralph combined. The door was gradually forced 
inward. 

Realizing at last that he could not keep his un- 
welcome visitors out, Tompkins suddenly stepped 
back. Dick and Ralph, unable to check themselves, 
so unexpected was this move, were tumbled into 
the room as though shot from a catapult, and for 
a moment Tompkins held them at disadvantage. 

Stepping across the floor he slammed the door 
shut, and, with his back against it, produced a 
revolver, with which he covered the two lads. One 
glance at Tompkins’ face and Dick knew the man 
recognized him. His first words confirmed this. 

“My time has come much sooner than I ex- 
pected, you young meddler,” he said. “May I ask 
what you are doing here?” 

“I’m here to make sure that you don’t get away,” 
declared Dick, betraying not the slightest sign of 
fear. “I’ve followed you all the way to Pittsburgh 
and back, so you needn’t think I shall lose sight of 
you now.” 

“Pittsburgh and back!” exclaimed Tompkins. 


ON THE TEAIL 39 

“You mean you have been on my trail all that 
time ?” 

“I do.” 

“Then it is up to me to get you out of the way,” 
declared Tompkins. “It appears that you are dan- 
gerous in spite of your youth. And who is this 
young fellow with you?” 

“My chum,” returned Dick, “though I can’t see 
that it’s any of your business. 

“Can’t eh?” said Tompkins. “You’ll change 
your tune before I’m through with you.” 

Before Dick could reply, had such been his in- 
tention, the three caught the sound of footsteps in 
the hall. They approached the room in which the 
three stood, then passed on. 

It seemed to Dick that Tompkins had manifested 
strange interest in the sound of footsteps; it was 
almost as though he had been expecting some one. 
A moment later Tompkins verified the lad’s sus- 
picions. 

“I’m expecting some friends,” he said, “and I 
don’t want to be bothered with you. Guess I’ll tie 
you up. Take your coat off” — this to Dick — “I’ll 
dispose of you first.” 

Dick did as commanded; there was nothing else 
the lad could do. 

Quickly Tompkins seized the lad’s coat and ap- 


40 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


proached him, his intent being to bind the lad’s arms 
with his own garment. 

But Tompkins had not reckoned on Ralph. 

For one moment he had relaxed his vigilance, 
and in that moment Ralph had whipped out his 
revolver and covered him. 

“Hands up!” he said quietly to Tompkins. 

The man staggered back in consternation, his 
weapon pointing toward the floor. For an instant 
it appeared that he would obey Ralph’s command, 
but it was for an instant only. Then, apparently 
reassured because of the youth of his adversary, 
his arm came up. 

Ralph’s face paled a trifle. It was all very well 
to point a gun at a man and tell him to put up his 
hands, but he found it was another matter when 
it came to pressing the trigger, although his own 
life might be endangered, as it appeared to be at 
this moment. 

He still held his revolver levelled firmly enough, 
but he couldn’t fire, although he knew he should. 
Gradually Tompkins’ pistol pointed each second a 
trifle higher. 

When Ralph had covered Tompkins, Dick had 
expected the man to drop his own weapon, but when 
he failed to do so and raised his weapon, Dick 
realized that it was time to take the situation into 
his own hands. Just as it appeared that Tompkins 


ON THE TRAIL 


41 


would press the trigger, and while Ralph seemed 
to be paralyzed, Dick hurled himself forward In an 
old-time football tackle. 

He caught Tompkins with both arms just be- 
low the knees, and the two went down in a strug- 
gling heap. The man’s revolver went spinning 
through the air, and but for Tompkin’s superior 
strength, the two were on even terms. 

But in this kind of fighting Dick was bound to 
get the worst of it, for he was no match for his 
antagonist despite his own sturdy build. 

Tompkins caught the lad’s throat with his left 
hand, and drew back his right fist to strike. But 
before he could deliver the blow, Ralph, discarding 
his revolver, sprang forward and caught Tomp- 
kins’ right arm in both hands and twisted with all 
his power. 

Tompkins gave a cry of pain and Dick felt the 
hold on his throat relax. Instantly he squirmed 
from beneath Tompkins and sprang to his feet. 

By this time Ralph and Tompkins were locked 
in a close embrace and were rolling over and over 
upon the floor. Because of his quickness, Ralph 
had been able to plant two solid blows in Tomp- 
kins’ face, but these, instead of disabling his foe, 
had only served to increase the man’s fury. 

In seeking to gain a position where he could de- 
liver a decisive blow, Tompkins exposed his face 


42 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


to Dick, who was circling round and round looking 
for a place to strike. Dick dashed in and out again, 
but his fist had gone home and Tompkins gave a 
cry of pain. 

At the same time Ralph struck twice quickly 
again and both blows found their mark, one on 
Tompkins’ nose and the other in the pit of the 
stomach. 

It was probably the last blow that settled the 
fight. It took all the battle out of Tompkins and 
he doubled up and rocked himself back and forth 
on the floor. 

Before he could get his breath Dick had regained 
his revolver from the pocket of the coat he had 
been forced to discard a few moments before, and 
with this he covered Tompkins; and when the man 
at last looked up the weapon was levelled squarely 
between his eyes in a steady hand, and a steady 
and determined eye looked along the barrel. 

“No foolishness,” said Dick quietly. “You’ll 
find that I have no compunction in pressing the 
trigger, as my friend had.” 

There was something in Dick’s voice that told 
Tompkins the boy meant what he said. 

He remained quiet. 

“Now Ralph,” said Dick, “We’ll see how he likes 
his own medicine. Take my coat there and tie his 
legs." 


ON THE TRAIL 


43 


He kept the man covered while Ralph followed 
his instructions. 

“Now help him out of his coat, and bind his arms 
with it,” continued Dick. 

This, too, was the work of but a few moments, 
and at last Tompkins lay helpless. 

“I guess this settles my first case,” declared Dick, 
surveying the prostrate Tompkins, “and to tell the 
truth, I’m sorry, in a way. Now, Ralph, if you’ll 
go down and phone Tom I’ll stand guard until you 
get back. If Tom isn’t home, phone police head- 
quarters, explain the situation and have them send 
the patrol wagon and a couple of men. However, 
Tom should be home by now.” 

“Sure you are not afraid to stay with him alone ?” 
demanded Ralph. 

“Certain,” was Dick’s reply. “However, you 
might get back as quickly as possible.” 

Ralph nodded and left the room. Dick gave .us 
undivided attention to his prisoner. Tompkins re- 
turned the lad’s gaze with interest, but there was 
no conversation between the two. 

Five minutes later Dick heard footsteps in the 
hall. 

“By George! He didn’t waste much time,” he 
told himself. 

He returned his revolver, which he still held in 
his hand, to his pocket. 


44 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


And this proved his undoing. 

The door opened and two men entered. They 
were strangers to Dick, but it was perfectly plain 
they were not strangers to Tompkins. 

“Grab him, Henry !” cried Tompkins from the 
floor. 

In spite of the fact that the newcomers must have 
been startled by the scene that met their eyes when 
they entered the room, they acted without an in- 
stant’s hesitation. 

Dick’s hand flew to his pocket, as he leaped aside 
to avoid the first rush, and Tompkins cried out: 

“Careful! He’s got a gun!” 

But before Dick could draw the weapon, the men 
had wheeled and were on him again. Realizing 
that he could not get the revolver out in time, Dick 
fired twice through his pocket, but the bullets went 
wild. 

Dick’s arm was seized in a powerful grasp and 
yanked from his pocket, the revolver flying from 
his hand as it was withdrawn. Dick struck at a 
face close to his own with his left fist and was 
stirred to renewed efforts by the fact that his fist 
found its mark. 

But the struggle was of short duration. Dick 
fought gamely against heavy odds, but he was no 
match for either of his adversaries. He felt him- 


ON THE TRAIL 


45 


self lifted from the floor and slammed down again 
and was conscious of a sharp pain in his head. 

For a space he knew nothing more. 

When Dick regained consciousness the first thing 
that caught his ears was the sound of low voices. 
He tried to sit up, but something held him back. 
Investigation showed that he had been tightly 
bound. He tried to move his hands and legs. 
These, too, he found he was unable to budge. 

Dick raised his voice in a cry, but it was muffled 
in his throat. He became conscious for the first 
time of a stuffiness in his mouth. He had been 
gagged as well as bound. 

Dick gave his attention to what those about him 
were saying. 

“Well have to hurry,” said a voice that the lad 
recognized as belonging to Tompkins. “That other 
boy will be back here in a minute, and he may bring 
help.” 

“Then let’s go,” said a second voice. “But what 
will we do with our friend here,” and Dick sur- 
mised correctly that he was the subject under dis- 
cussion. 

“Leave him,” said the voice of the third man. 

“I believe,” said Tompkins, “that we had better 
take him along. He knows too much as it is. Be- 
sides, I have a score to settle with him.” 

“Suits me,” said one of the others. “We’ve 


46 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


a machine below. The quicker we get away from 
here the better.” 

“Let’s be moving, then,” said Tompkins. “Here, 
Henry, lend a hand and we’ll carry this fellow 
downstairs. Don’t bother with the elevator.” 

Dick felt a pair of hands take hold of his feet 
and another pair of his head, and then he was con- 
scious of being carried into the hall, down the 
stairs and at last out into the air, where at length 
he was deposited in the rear seat of an automobile. 

The other men climbed in, and directly the ma- 
chine moved down the street. 


CHAPTER VI. 

RALPH TO THE RESCUE. 

When Ralph left Dick and Tompkins alone, he 
found it necessary to go several blocks to find a 
telephone. Consequently it was all of ten minutes 
before he was able to get Tom on the wire. 

Tom wasted no time with foolish questions. 

“You get back to Dick,” he instructed. “I’ll 
be there on the run.” 

Ralph replaced the receiver and left the store. 
He arrived at the apartment again just in time to 


ON THE TRAIL 


47 


see a large automobile drive away. This, although 
Ralph did not know it then, was the machine in 
which Dick was a prisoner. 

The elevator was several floors up when Ralph 
re-entered the building, so the lad did not wait for 
it to come down, but instead mounted the two 
flights four stairs at a time. 

He hurried down the hall and flung open the door 
of the room he had so recently quitted — and started 
back aghast. Neither Dick nor Tompkins was 
there. 

Ralph did not need to be told what had happened. 
He knew, as well as though he had been a witness 
of the struggle that had taken place in his absence, 
that Dick was in the hands of his enemies. 

Ralph sank down in a chair. Then he rose again 
and hurried down stairs. The colored elevator boy 
was at the door. Ralph questioned him sharply, 
but could elicit no information. The boy professed 
absolute ignorance, and Ralph believed him. 

“ I guess there is nothing to do but wait for 
Tom,” he told himself at last. 

And so he waited, impatiently. 

The wait was not long, however. Ten minutes 
later an automobile came dashing down the street, 
and pulled up in front of the apartment with a 
jerk. Ralph ran to the street and reached the side 


48 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


of the car in time to take hold of Tom’s arm as the 
latter alighted. 

“Where’s Dick?” were Tom’s first words. 

“Gone,” replied Ralph. “I believe Tompkins 
'has taken him away.” 

“But I thought you told me over the phone that 
you had the man tied up tightly?” 

“We did. The only way that I can account for 
their disappearence is that Tompkins must have had 
help. I am sure he could not have loosened his 
bonds unaided.” 

“That’s possible,” Tom admitted. “We’ll ques- 
tion the elevator boy.” 

“I’ve done that,” said Ralph. “He doesn’t know 
a thing.” 

“Sure?” asked Tom. “He may be lying.” 

“I don’t think so,” Ralph protested. 

Nevertheless Tom was not satisfied, and insisted 
on an inquisition of the colored boy himself. But 
his efforts were no better than Ralph’s had been, and 
at last he turned away disappointed. 

“We’re up against a blind trail,” he told Ralph 
at last. “There is no telling which way they have 
gone.” 

“Perhaps we might find a clue in the room up- 
stairs,” said Ralph hopefully. 

“Good idea, son,” declared Tom. “You show 
symptoms of brains. Come on. We’ll have a look.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


49 


Tom satisfied the colored boy with a view of his 
badge, although there was really no need for this, 
as his trooper’s uniform was sufficient evidence of 
his identity. 

Upstairs Tom turned a critical eye on the con- 
tents of the room. 

“Looks like there had been quite a struggle,” he 
said, indicating the overturned table and chairs. 

“There was,” replied Ralph dryly, “although I 
have no doubt there was a second struggle, after 
I left.” 

“No doubt,” agreed Tom. “Well, I’ll have a 
look at the contents of the desk over there. I see 
nothing else that will offer a tangible clue.” 

He tried the desk. It was locked. Tom drew 
his revolver and broke the desk open with a single 
blow. Then he plunged his hand into a mass of 
papers the open top revealed. 

These he scanned rapidly, and at last he gave an 
exclamation of satisfaction. 

“Find something?” asked Ralph. 

“Yes, although it may amount to nothing. Here’s 
a letter signed Tompkins addressed to a man named 
Henry, which mentions what may be a rendezvous 
across town. Of course it may not lead us any- 
where, but it’s worth looking up.” 

“What are you going to do?” demanded Ralph. 


50 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“First I’ll finish looking through these papers, 
then I’m going to the address mentioned here.” 

“Can I go with you?” 

“H-m-m,” said Tom, looking at Ralph over the 
top of the letter he was reading. “Seems to me 
you have had excitement enough for one day. Why 
should I take you ?” 

“I might be able to help,” declared Ralpph. 

Tom considered the matter a moment. 

“So you might,” he said at last. “I guess there 
are no objections. But we’ll stop on the way and 
pick up a couple of policemen. We may need them.” 

Further examination of the papers in the desk 
revealed no additional clues, so presently Tom led 
the way to the automobile on the street below. 

Five minutes later they were at police headquar- 
ters, where Tom picked up two officers in uniform 
— Patrolmen Murphy and Delehanty. Tom took 
the wheel again and the car continued its journey. 

At Fourteenth and Market streets Tom drew up 
alongside the curb. He alighted and motioned the 
others out after him. 

“We’ll go the rest of the way afoot,” he said. 
“It’s almost midnight and everyone seems to be in 
bed. There is no use arousing the neighborhood.” 

He led the way along Fourteenth street, the 
others following closely. 


ON THE TRAIL 51 

He drew up before a house at last, and compared 
the number on the door with that in the letter. 

‘‘Guess this is the place,” he said. “Now, you 
men stand alongside the house here out of sight. 
You, too, Ralph. I’ll ring the bell and endeavor 
to get inside. If I’m not out in five minutes, break 
in after me. Understand?” 

“Yes, sir,” replied the patrolman, named Mur- 
phy. 

Tom climbed the steps and rang the bell. A 
moment later the door was opened a trifle, and a 
woman’s voice demanded: 

“What do you want?” 

“I want to see Tompkins,” replied Tom, keeping 
well back so the light would not fall on his uni- 
form. “He told me he’d be here at this time.” 

“There are some men here,” the woman said, 
“but I don’t know whether there is a Tompkins 
among them. If you’ll wait a minute I’ll find out.” 

She made as though to close the door. 

But Tom was too quick for her. He thrust a 
foot in the door, pushed it open and brushed by 
the woman. 

“I’ll wait inside if you don’t mind,” he said 
quietly. 

But in passing through the door Tom had ex- 
posed his uniform. The woman screamed. 

“Here, none of that,” exclaimed Tom gruffly. 


52 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


'‘Be quiet, or I shall lock you up along with the 
others.” 

At the far end of the hall he heard a sudden 
commotion, and drawing his revolver he dashed in 
that direction. 

Came the sound of a door hastily flung open 
and of hurried footsteps and gruff exclamations. 

Tom reached the end of the hall and stepped into 
a now unoccupied room in time to see a form flit- 
ting through a door. — 

“Halt!” he cried. 

But the injunction was not obeyed, and the door 
was banged closed in his face. Tom threw his 
weight against it, but he had not been quick enough, 
for the last man to go through had succeeded in 
turning the key in the lock^ 

Tom muttered an imprecation. Quickly he 
placed the muzzle of his revolver against the lock 
and fired. 

The door swung open and Tom dashed through. 

He saw several forms flitting through the dark- 
ness of the yard beyond and heard the cough of 
an automobile. 

His prey was about to escape. 

Tom realized that the possibility of overtaking 
the fugitives before the machine could get under 
way was scarce. Quickly he noted that it was 


ON THE TRAIL 53 

headed toward Market street, and as quickly he 
mapped out his course of action. 

Turning, he ran around the house to where Ralph 
and the two patrolmen still stood. 

“Quick ! Follow me!” he cried, and without 
waiting for an explanation he dashed toward Mar- 
ket street, where his own automobile was parked. 

Even as he reached his car, the one bearing the 
fugitives careened into Market street and headed 
toward the center of the city. 

Tom sprang to the wheel. Fortunately he had 
left the engine running, so the work of starting 
took but an instant. As Ralph and the two police- 
men swung aboard, he sent the machine around in 
a short circle so abruptly that it seemed the car 
would overturn. Then they were off after the fug- 
itives. 

In spite of the rocking of the automobile, Ralph 
climbed from the rear seat to Tom’s side. 

“Do you think they have Dick in there?” he de- 
manded, pointing to the other car, now some dis- 
tance ahead. 

“I don’t know,” Tom shouted back. “But if 
they have we’ll get him quick enough.” 

Ralph said nothing, but recalling the difficulties 
earlier in the evening, he was not quite so sure. 

Straight down Market street the two cars raced, 
through the heart of the city and past the police* 


54 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


station, where they wheeled on to Front Street, and 
headed north along the River Road. 

Here the first car increased its pace, and Tom 
found himself hard put to keep the fugitives in 
sight. 

Mile after mile they sped through the darkness. 

“At this rate, we’ll be back in Pittsburgh before 
morning unless something breaks,” Ralph told him- 
self. 

But in this the lad was wrong. For the chase 
was to come to an end long before the day broke. 


CHAPTER VII. 

DICK SHOWS HIS METTLE. 

To Dick, after he was carried from the apart- 
ment where he had been overpowered by Tompkins 
and his friends, it seemed that he rode for an hour 
in the automobile before it drew up in what he 
took to be an alley, and the men with him alighted. 

“Carry him in,” said Tompkins' voice. 

“Not much,” declared another. “I’ll cut the 
bonds on his legs, and he can walk or be dragged, 
according to how much sense he has.” 

Tompkins chuckled. 


ON THE TEAIL 


55 


“A good idea,” he replied. 

Dick felt his captor fumbling with the bonds on 
his leg. Then the man stepped away. 

“Get out,” he ordered. 

Dick did so. 

“Now walk in front of me,” was the command, 
and Dick did as commanded. 

Fortunately the lad had not been blindfolded, 
so he could see what was going on. 

With one of his captors behind him, he crossed 
a small yard, ascended a short flight of steps, and 
followed the figures ahead of him into a room on 
the first floor. 

The last man followed, and directly there was 
light. 

“Now,” said Tompkins, “the first thing to do is 
to dispose of this fellow.” 

“Oh, there is no hurry,” said the man addressed 
as Henry. “I'll tie him up again and lock him in 
the closet there,” and he indicated a closet in the 
corner of the room. 

“No need of tieing him,” declared Tompkins. 
“He’ll be safe enough.” 

So Dick was locked in the dark closet. 

So dark was it in the closet that the lad could 
not have seen his hand in front of him had his 
bonds permitted him to raise it before his face. 
But he could hear, and he decided to learn what 


56 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


he could of his captors, should they be incautious 
enough to talk. 

Dick heard chairs scrape over the floor, indicating 
that his captors were arranging themselves about 
a table. Then he heard the tinkle of glasses, which 
told him the men were drinking. 

“Tompkins,” said a voice which Dick recognized 
as belonging to the man called Henry, “how did 
you happen to get into this mess?” 

“To tell the truth I don’t know,” said Tompkins 
with an imprecation; “but I’ll tell you how it hap- 
pened. I was walking along Mullberry street last 
night when the brother of this kid we have locked 
up nabbed me. He took me to his home nearby 
and was about to phone for the wagon when I 
jumped him. In the midst of it, this youngster 
interfered. Well, to make a long story short I 
got away and headed for Pittsburgh. I left the 
train at Altoona to avoid pursuit and fell into more 
trouble, but got away again. 

“In the morning I went to Pittsburgh, thence 
to Connellsville and on to Greensburg, and doubled 
on my tracks. I thought I had thrown off all pos- 
sible pursuit when I went to Henry’s room tonight; 
but it appears that this young Hazelton had been on 
my trail all the time and that he had enlisted his 
chum in the chase. Well, we fought there and I 
got the worst of it. That’s all.” 


ON THE TRAIL 57 

“He seems to be rather a troublesome young- 
ster, ” declared another voice. 

“He’s all of that, Smith,” declared Tompkins. 
“That’s why I say something must be done with 
him.” 

“We’ll let that pass for the moment,” said Smith. 
“The thing we all want to know is, where is the 
money ?” 

“The money,” said Tompkins, “is in a safety 
deposit box in the Mechanics bank in Pittsburgh. 
The key is in my pocket. We can go> there tomor- 
row and get it.” 

“That’s all right, then,” said Henry. “We’ll 
leave it there, as agreed, until we have disposed of 
the other jobs.” 

“Right,” agreed Smith. “And while we’re on 
the subject, how about these other jobs?” 

“No reason for changing the schedule,” declared 
Tompkins. “You and Henry are to go through 
with the First National undertaking in McKees- 
port tomorrow night, and Allen, here, and myself 
will tackle the Merchants’ and Miners’ in Allen- 
town the following night.” 

“That’s all arranged, then,” said the third man 
of the party, called Allen. “And we’ll meet in my 
room in Pittsburgh one week from tonight and 
divide up.” 


58 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


‘'Correct/’ declared Tompkins. “Now what — 
quiet, men!” 

He broke off suddenly as a bell rang in the hall. 

“What’s that?” demanded Henry. 

“Doorbell,” said Smith quietly. “Don’t know 
who it can be, but we’d better be ready to move. 
Get that kid out of the closet and hustle him into 
the car. Tompkins and I’ll wait and make sure.” 

All the foregoing conversation had been perfectly 
audible to Dick, in his closet prison. Now some- 
thing told the lad that the man at the door was 
Tom and he determined to take advantage of the 
first opportunity to make a break for liberty. 

But it appeared that the first opportunity would 
be a long time in presenting itself. 

It was well for the four bank hobbers that they 
had acted the moment the doorbell rang. Other- 
wise Tom certainly would have overtaken them be- 
fore they could have entered their automobile. 

As it was, however, Dick found himself hurried 
into the machine between Allen and the man called 
Henry. The latter started the engine and the car 
was ready to go the moment Tompkins and Smith 
arrived, which they did a moment later. 

“Quick, Henry!” cried Smith as he swung aboard 
on the heels of Tompkins. 

Henry needed no urging, and the car started off 


ON THE TEAIL 59 

with a lurch. As it rounded on to Market street, 
Smith cried: 

“There they are with a machine. Let her out, 
Henry.” 

Henry followed instructions to the letter. 

Dick now recognized his surroundings. He 
knew that Tom would never relinquish pursuit of 
the bandits as long as there was a possibility of 
overtaking them, and he determined to lend a hand 
if it were humanly possible. 

And at last his chance came. 

As the car raced madly along the river road, the 
lad struggled with his bonds, until at last they 
slipped. It was the work of only a few moments 
to release his hands altogether and remove the gag 
from his mouth. Then the lad bided his time. 

It came as the car was forced to slow down to 
round a sharp curve. 

With a stealthy movement, so as not to arouse 
the suspicions of Smith who sat on his left in the 
rear seat, the lad slipped his hand into the man’s 
pocket. What he sought was there. 

Quietly he drew the revolver from Smith’s 
pocket. Then, as the car rounded the curve and 
was about to speed forward again, he leaned for- 
ward and pressed the cold steel against Henry’s 
neck. 

“Slow down or I fire!” he cried. 


60 


THE BOY TBOOPERS 


At the same moment almost, Smith made a move 
as though to wrest the weapon from the lad’s hand. 

“Look out!” cried Dick. “If I fire we’ll all be 
killed, and I give you my word I will fire if you 
interfere with me.” 

Smith drew back. 

There seemed nothing for Henry, at the wheel, 
to do but obey Dick’s command. 

The car slowed down. 

Dick got to his feet and stepped to the ground. 
Then, covering the others with the revolver, he 
ordered them, to alight. 

For a moment it appeared that they would do so. 

Meanwhile, around the curve flashed the pursu- 
ing car driven by Dick’s brother. An exclamation 
of exultation leaped into the lad’s throat, and in 
that moment he relaxed his vigilance. 

In that moment he felt a heavy blow on his head, 
and toppled over in the road, as Henry sent the 
car forward with a lurch. 

Tom saw the body of his fallen brother in the 
middle of the road by the glare of his searchlight. 
It was so close ahead that it was with difficulty 
that he brought the car to a stop without running 
over the unconscious form. 

It took but a glance to tell Tom what had hap- 
pened. Quickly he leaped to the road, gathered 
the form of his brother into his arms, and deposited 


ON THE TRAIL 


61 


him in the rear seat with Ralph and the two police- 
men. 

“Revive him if you can,” he commanded. “I 
haven't time to stop now.” 

He reseated himself at the wheel and the car sped 
forward again. 

The fugitives had gained some little distance be- 
fore Tom resumed the chase, and the young officers 
realized that the task of overtaking them was, ac- 
cordingly, that much harder. 

“But I’m going to get ’em,” he declared between 
his teeth. 

Meanwhile, as the car sped along, Ralph bent 
his attention to his chum, and at last the lad sat up. 

A few moments later, refreshed by the cool night 
breeze, he was himself again. As the car continued 
its mad race he gave an account of his experiences 
to Ralph. Then, for the first time, he noticed the 
presence of the two policemen in the car. 

“And what are you men doing here?” he de- 
manded. 

“Trying to catch that car ahead,” replied Mur- 
phy. 

“But you’re out of the city,” protested Dick. 
“You will have no power to make an arrest.” 

“Maybe not,” said Patrolman Delehanty, “but 
we’ll help make it just the same, if we get a chance. 


62 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


A blue coat is a bluecoat, you know, and they wear 
’em in Pittsburgh as well as in Harrisburg.” 

“That’s all right,” Dick admitted, “but your 
badge of authority is a little bit different, you 
know.” 

“Well,” replied Murphy, “I’ve hidden the word 
Harrisburg before. I guess I can do it again in a 
good cause, eh Delehanty?” 

“You said something, Murph,” was Delehanty’s 
reply. 

Dick gazed forward in the darkness. 

“Seems to me we are gaining,” he declared. 

“We are,” replied Ralph. “We’ll get ’em — 
Hello.” 

He broke off suddenly, for the car ahead had 
come to a stop. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

THE FIGHT. 

Above the roar of the pursuing automobile as 
it rushed forward, Dick heard several sharp cracks. 
To some these sounds might have indicated burst- 
ing automobile tires, but every occupant of the mov- 
ing machine knew them instantly for what they 


were. 


ON THE TRAIL 


63 


The bandits ahead had opened fire. 

Tom swung the car to the right hand sidk of the 
road, slowed down, and presently came to a stop. 
Even as it did so, the windshield was shattered 
into fragments as a bullet plowed through it. 

Tom heard the bullet whine past his right ear. 

“Out and take cover behind the car,” he ordered, 
leaping to the ground and producing a revolver. 

Dick, Ralph and the two policemen followed suit. 
Tom turned to Dick. 

“You and Ralph had better keep out of this,” he 
advised. “Somebody is liable to get hurt, and I’m 
answerable for the safety for both of you.” 

“I’ve still got my gun, Tom, and I can use it,” 
protested Ralph. 

“I haven’t any, but I may be of use if we come 
to close quarters,” declared Dick. 

“You stand back of this car, both of you, and 
don’t expose yourselves,” said Tom firmly. “I’ll 
handle those fellows, with the assistance of Murphy 
and Delehanty.” 

Dick mumbled something intelligible only to him- 
self, but said nothing aloud. 

Tom peered around one side of the automobile, 
and as he did so there was a spurt of flame ahead 
and a sharp report. 

“They must have eyes like cats,” mumbled Tom. 
“I can’t see them.” 


64 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“I can, sir, from this side,” said Murphy. 

Tom moved to the other side of the car. 

“’Tis a bit better here,” he agreed. 

Again there were several flashes of flame ahead, 
and the boys could hear the singing of bullets as 
they swept by; but not one found its mark. 

“This won't do,” said Tom at last. “We've got 
to get closer quarters some way. Here Murphy, 
you sneak off in the trees on the right. I’ll cover 
your advance. Delehanty, you do the same on the 
other side of the road.” 

The policemen wasted no time in argument. Del- 
ehanty cleared the road on the left with several 
quick leaps and disappeared. He attracted several 
shots as he did so, but Tom felt certain he had 
reached the shelter of the trees in safety. 

Murphy, closer to the road, did not draw a shot 
as he disappeared in the darkness. 

So far the pursuers had not fired a shot 

“Look here, Tom,” said Dick, “if you would just 
let Ralph and me mix in this game it would be 
much simpler. Ralph has a gun. Now you give 
me one, and we’ll reinforce Murphy and Delehanty 
and leave you to guard the front while we attack on 
the flanks. When they find out they’re surrounded, 
they may surrender.” 

“Too much risk, youngster,” declared Tom. 


ON THE TRAIL 


65 


“I don’t see why, Tom,” protested Ralph. “Seems 
to me it would be much simpler all around.” 

“It might be,” Tom admitted, “but I don’t like 
to expose you boys.” 

“Can’t see why you should kick if we don’t mind 
it,” declared Dick. 

“What would father say?” demanded Tom. 

“Well, he’s not here,” was Dick’s stock reply, 
“and I don’t tell everything I know.” 

Tom smiled in the darkness. 

“Have it your own way,” he said at last. “Dick, 
you follow Delehanty, and Ralph, you can trail 
along after Murphy. When I open fire, Dick, 
you jump across the road. Here’s a gun for you.” 

A moment later Tom, peering around the car, 
opened fire with his automatic. At the same time 
Dick darted across the road. He reached the shel- 
ter of the trees without so much as hearing a bullet 
pass near him. Then he moved forward in the di- 
rection Delehanty had so recently gone. 

Ralph was equally fortunate in reaching shelter 
safely, and a few moments later he had overtaken 
Murphy, who greeted him with only a word. 

Dick, on the other hand, found that Delehanty 
had advanced more swiftly than had Murphy, and 
the policeman was already close to the bandits when 
Dick came up with him. 

Meanwhile, Tom, from his post of vantage, was 
keeping up a stream of fire. It was not his pur- 


€6 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


pose to shoot down any of his opponents under 
this fusillade, but rather to keep them occupied 
until his friends could find strategic positions on 
either side of the road, thus out-flanking the enemy. 

Directly opposite the automobile of the bandits, 
and their presence still undiscovered, Dick spcnce 
to Delehanty. 

“Let’s give them a chance to surrender,” he said. 

“What’s the use?” Delehanty wanted to know. 
“They won’t do it.” 

“You never can tell,” Dick replied. “We should 
give them the chance, at all events.” 

“Maybe so,” said Delehanty. He raised his voice 
in a shout. “Surrender, you fellows,” he called. 
“We have you surrounded. You can’t escape.” 

His only answer was a volley of revolver shots, 
which swept close to where he and Dick stood. 

“You see,” said Delehanty significantly. 

“I see,” replied Dick. “Well, let’s close in on 
them. Murphy and Ralph should be near on the 
other side of the road. If we can keep them busy 
it will give Tom 1 a chance to advance.” 

“Come on,” said Delehanty. 

They advanced to the edge of the road, and still 
under cover, levelled their weapons. 

Again Delehanty raised his voice and demanded 
the surrender of the bandits, and again the answer 
was a volley. 

Dick, taking careful aim at a man who seemed 


ON THE TEAIL 


67 

to be tinkering with the engine of the automobile, 
pressed the trigger. 

His shot was rewarded with a howl of pain, and 
the target of the lad’s weapon leaped from his po- 
sition behind the car. 

“First blood to us,” said Dick quietly. 

The bandits were firing regularly now, and Dick 
felt the wind of bullets as they passed uncomfort- 
ably close to his head. 

Meanwhile, Ralph and Murphy had opened fire 
from the opposite side of the road, and Dick could 
see Tom advancing in the open. 

“We’ve got ’em if they’ll just stay and fight 
it out,” the lad told himself. 

But what he feared came to pass. 

Apparently the trouble with the bandits’ engine 
had been remedied. One of the men gave a shout 
and jumped into the car. The others did the same 
— all but one. 

This man proved to be the one called Henry. 
As he was about to leap into the car, Delehanty 
dropped him with a single well-directed shot. One 
of the others stooped as though to pick} him up but 
was stopped by a voice that Dick recognized as that 
of Tompkins. 

“Never mind him,” Tompkins cried. “Quick! 
Jump in. Every man for himself.” 

The other figure did as instructed. 

Now Dick and Delehanty threw all caution to 


68 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


the winds, and dashed forward in an effort to in- 
tercept the fugitives before the machine could be 
started. 

From the other side of the road Murphy and 
Ralph also appeared. Tom, approaching up the 
road, was firing at the tires of the machine. 

But, unharmed in spite of the fusillade of shots, 
the automobile dashed forward with a lurch. 

Tom ran up with a cry of anger. 

“Pick this fellow up and bring him to our car,” 
he ordered. “We’ll take up the chase again.” 

Dick took the man by his feet and Delehanty by 
his head and carried him toward the waiting auto- 
mobile. Tom and the others preceded them, and 
the former had the engine going by the time they 
arrived. 

“I doubt if we overtake them again,” Tom mut- 
tered to Dick, who took his seat beside his brother. 
“That was some pretty rotten shooting we all did, 
if you ask me.” 

“It certainly was,” declared Dick; “but we have 
one of them at all events.” 

“We should have them all,” declared Tom. “I 
was in hopes of ending this case tonight.” 

“Accidents can’t be helped,” said Dick senten- 
tiously. 

“Maybe not,” Tom agreed, “but the way this 
fellow Tompkins keeps getting away from me seems 
to be more than an accident. It’s getting more like 


ON THE TRAIL 69 

a habit. But tell me, what did they do to you, 
Dick ?” 

“Well, they didn’t hurt me any; but I’ve over- 
heard enough to send them all to prison for life.” 

“Explain.” 

Dick did so, and at the conclusion of his story, 
Tom gave a long whistle. 

“We seem to have struck a nest of bank robbers, 
all right,” he said “and it wouldn’t surprise me if 
there were more than four men in the gang. So 
they are going to try a few more robberies, eh?” 

“I doubt if they will now” said Dick. “They 
must know that I overheard their conversation, and 
that we will be on the lookout for them.” 

“That’s true, too,” Tom admitted, “but at the 
same time, there is always the possibility that they 
will take a chance. If they get away from us 
now, we’ll have the banks carefully guarded at any 
rate.” 

“They seem to have got away,” said Dick, gaz- 
ing along the blank road ahead. 

“So they do, but hold on. Isn’t that a car in the 
road ahead?” 

Dick peered intently into the darkness. 

“It certainly is,” he exclaimed at last. “I caught 
the glow of the searchlight as they rounded a curve 
there. They haven’t given us the slip yet.” 

“Well,” said Tom “I’m a little skittish about 


70 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


driving too fast along a dark road, but here goes. 
I’m going to "step on her/ ” 

The car dashed forward faster than before. 


CHAPTER' IX. 

THE CHASE PROVES FUTILE. 

It was dangerous, this riding along a dark road 
at a speed of sixty miles and more an hour, and 
nobody realized it better perhaps than Tom Hazel- 
ton himself. In the rear of the car, Ralph Hark- 
ness and the two policemen were jostled from side 
to side, their heads occasionally coming in contact 
with the top of the car when the machine encoun- 
tered a rough place in the road. 

“I say, Tom, don’t you think you’re going a little 
too fast?” demanded Dick, at length. 

“We’ve got to go fast,” was Tom’s reply. “We 
don’t seem to be gaining, and if the fellows in front 
can hit up sixty miles an hour, so can we.” 

Dick subsided, and for the space of ten miutes 
said nothing. 

From time to time the machine flashed through 
little towns, as Dick could tell by lights in a few 
windows. But for the most part the chase led 
along a lonely road. 


ON THE TRAIL 


71 


Some miles east of Altoona, Tom suddenly threw 
on the brakes, and the car came almost to a stop. 

“What’s the matter?” demanded Dick. 

“Thought I heard an engine whistle,” replied 
Tom, listening intently. “I don’t know whether 
there is a railroad crossing ahead or not; but it’s 
just as well to be on the safe side.” 

Directly the others heard the same sound, as the 
locomotive whistle gave two long toots followed 
by two short ones. 

“Whistling for a crossing, at all events,” said 
Dick. 

“We’ll go ahead slowly,” said Tom. 

A moment later the machine turned a sharp 
curve, and Dick made out a sight that sent his 
heart into his throat. 

Far down the road he could dimly see the glow 
of the searchlight ahead of the automobile they 
were pursuing. To the right the fiery eye of the 
locomotive was moving swiftly toward the route 
of the automobile. 

“They’re goners!” Dick shouted. 

He stood up in the car, as did the others with 
the exception of Tom, who maintained his clutch 
on the wheel and kept his eyes glued to the road 
ahead. 

“The fools, Why don’t they slow down!” ex- 
claimed Ralph. 


72 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Wait! They’ll make it yet,” declared Police- 
man Murphy. 

“No they won’t,” said Dick. “See ! The car is 
slowing down.” 

It was true. Apparently realizing at last that it 
would be impossible to beat the train to the cross- 
ing, the man at the wheel of the bandit car was 
making strenuous efforts to bring the machine to 
a stop. 

But, as it was perfectly plain to those in the pur- 
suing car, he had delayed too long. 

Instinctively Dick shut his eyes as the engine and 
the automobile seemed to leap together. Then he 
heard a shrill blast from the locomotive and the 
grinding of brakes. He heard, however, no sound 
of a crash. Then he opened his eyes, and as he 
did so he felt the automobile dash forward. 

“Did they hit?” he demanded of Tom. 

“Yes,” said Tom. “Our chase has probably 
ended. If all the occupants of that machine weren’t 
killed I miss my guess.” 

“Guess we’ll have a hunt for the bodies then,” 
said Dick. “The train has almost stopped.” 

“We’ll lend a hand at any rate,” said Tom. 

Two hundred yards beyond the crossing the en- 
gineer had brought the train to a stop. Now, as 
Tom and the others left the automobile, they could 
see figures of the engine and the train crew hurry- 
ing back along the track. 


ON THE TRAIL 


73 


For some reason that he could not explain, Dick 
struck a match and looked at his watch. It was 
3.45 o’clock. In an hour it would be daylight. 

The highway at the point where the collision 
occurred was along a sloping embankment. On 
either side narrow valleys could be dimly seen in 
the darkness. 

Tom and his party reached the railroad crossing 
before members of the train crew, and were survey- 
ing the scene as well as possible in the darkness 
when the latter hurried up. 

“Were you fellows in that car?” demanded the 
•engineer, striding up to Tom. 

“Luckily we were not,” Tom replied. 

The engineer looked at Tom’s uniform, and then 
sized up Policeman Murphy and Delehanty who 
stood beside him. 

“Officers, eh?” he said. 

“Right,” said Tom. “We were chasing those 
fellows. Apparently they tried to get across the 
track ahead of you, thinking to distance us. From 
where we were it looked as though the machine 
must have been squarely on the track when struck.” 

“Not quite,” said the engineer. “They almost 
cleared the track. I must have caught them on the 
rear wheel. We’ll probably find the machine at the 
foot of the embankment.” 

“We may as well look then,” said Tom. 

He led the way down the embankment on the 


74 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


right hand side of the railroad tracks, the engine 
crew and members of his own party trailing after 
him. 

The train, Dick learned upon questioning the fire- 
man, was a fast express from Pittsburgh for New 
York. The fireman had sighted the approaching 
automobile on his side of the cab when it was only 
a few yards from the crossing. He had shouted 
a warning to the engineer, and the latter had closed 
the throttle and applied the brakes instantly, but 
too late. 

By this time passengers in the night coaches, 
aware that something had gone wrong, began to 
stream from the cars and ply members of the train 
crew with questions. They followed the searching 
party down the embankment. 

Dick, at Tom's side, was first to spy the outline 
of the wrecked automobile, some distance away and 
farther to the right. 

‘There it is," he cried, and quickened his steps. 

“Funny we haven’t come across any bodies." 
said Dick. “It’s hardly possible they all stayed 
with the machine as it rolled down hill. However, 
queer things do happen, and they must all be under 
the overturned car." 

“They must all be dead," declared Ralph, “or 
at least unconscious. If they were alive and pinned 
under there they’d be calling for help." 

“It does seem that way," Dick agreed. 


ON THE TEAIL 


75 


The party had now come to the car, which was 
lying with wheels in the air, with pieces of wreck- 
age strewed near by. 

“Lend a hand, men, and we’ll see who’s under 
here,” said Tom. 

This was done willingly, and a few moments 
later the wreckage had been cleared away. Only 
a single prostrate form was exposed to the gaze of 
the searchers. Tom, with Dick at his side, bent 
over the man. Then he raised himself up. 

“I don’t know him, do you Dick?” he asked. 

Dick scanned the man’s face closely. 

“Its the man they called Smith,” he said. 

“Well, he’s dead. There is no doubt about that,” 
declared Tom. “However, it would be well to 
have a physician look at him.” 

He turned to the crowd of passengers who had 
followed them to the scene. 

“Is there a physician present?” he demanded. 

A man stepped forward. 

“I’m a doctor,” he said quietly. 

“Then have a look at this man, will you?” said 
Tom. 

The physician bent over the body of Smith. 

“Dead,” he said a moment later. “Skull frac- 
tured and neck broken, besides other bones. Death 
was instantaneous.” 

Dick turned to Murphy. 

“You and Delehanty carry him back to the ma- 


76 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


chine,” he instructed. “ We’ll have a look for the 
others.” 

For an hour the search was continued. Passen- 
gers and train crew alike searched every inch of 
the ground for a radius of many hundred yards, 
but no trace of the other occupants of the ill-fated 
car could be found. 

“Strange,” muttered Tom. “They must have 
been in the machine when it was hit.” 

“Sure about that, Tom?” asked Dick. “Smith, 
as the position of his body would indicate, was 
doing the driving. He stuck to the wheel to the 
last. What was to prevent the others leaping from 
the machine just before it reached the tracks? Re- 
member, it slowed down?” 

“By Jove! That hadn’t occurred to me,” de- 
clared Tom. “It must be as you suggest, Dick, 
for had they been in the machine they undoubtedly 
would have been killed, and their bodies would have 
been nearby. We’ll have a look on the other side 
of the tracks. They may be lying there, injured.” 

“And they may have got up and disappeared^ 
Dick replied. 

“That’s possible, too,” Tom admitted. 

Dick led the way back to the point from which 
the search had started, and from there, the searchers 
started off in the other direction. 

Dick, together with Tom and Ralph, examined 


ON THE TRAIL 77 

closely the road for some distance back from the 
track. 

‘‘Here's where they started to slow down,” said 
Tom at last. “You can see how the tires cut up 
the road.” 

“Right,” agreed Dick. “Then it is about here 
that they jumped.” 

“Look, Tom,” cried Ralph suddenly. 

He pointed to a tree some distance back from the 
road. On it was a piece of cloth. 

“Jove!” said Tom. “This is where they jumped 
alright. Whoever left that piece of his coat there 
must have hit that tree pretty hard.” 

For the better part of an hour the search con- 
tinued, but it was without result. 

“Well, there is no need looking further,” said 
Tom at length. “If they were able to walk after 
jumping out of that car they are safe enough now. 
We'll endeavor to pick up the trail from some other 
place. Besides, two of the bandits are accounted 
for. One dead, and the other safely in our car. 
I’m going to stay here on the scene the rest of the 
night, Dick. You and Ralph board the train and 
go to Harrisburg, Murphy and Delehanty can take 
the car and the prisoner back.” 

Dick protested that he and Ralph should stay, 
but this time his protest was unavailing. Tom was 
adamant. 


78 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


And so, after some further delay, Dick and Ralph 
found themselves in a night coach aboard the ex- 
press, bound again for Harrisburg, and directly the 
train moved off. 

“Tough,” was Ralph's comment. “I would like 
to have stayed — Great Scott, Dick! Look there!" 

Dick looked in the direction Ralph pointed, and 
almost jumped out of his seat. For, several seats 
ahead sat a figure hunched in his seat, cap almost 
covering his face. It was Tompkins. 


CHAPTER X. 

THE FIRST VICTORY. 

“Now what do you think of that?” Dick fairly 
gasped as he sank back into his seat. “Do you 
think we can be mistaken?” 

“Hardly,” was Ralph’s grim reply. “We've fol- 
lowed that chap too long not to know him when 
we see him.” 

“Right,” agreed Dick. “But how did he get 
here?” 

“Simple enough. After jumping from the ma- 
chine, he laid low until the search had started on 
the opposite side of the railroad tracks. Then he 


ON THE TEAIL 79 

got up and mingled with the passengers. He was 
safe enough, as none of them knew who he was.” 

“That’s all right,” Dick admitted, “but the con- 
ductor should know there is something wrong about 
him now, as he has no ticket.” 

“I don’t think so. You see the tickets are all 
taken up when the train leaves Pittsburgh, and 
each passenger is given a slip showing his destina- 
tion. Checks for Harrisburg were probably col- 
lected as soon as this train left Altoona, so that 
none of the Harrisburg passengers now have checks. 
That makes Tompkins perfectly safe, and he knows 
it.” 

“That must be the answer,” Dick assented after 
a moment’s thought. “Do you suppose the other 
bandit is aboard?” 

“It’s possible, although it doesn’t necessarily fol- 
low. It looks like it was every man for himself 
when the chase grew hot. The other man may 
have gone in the other direction.” 

“What do you think we had better do now?” 

“We might notify the conductor.” 

Dick shook his head. “The conductor wouldn’t 
have any authority to hold him,” he declared with 
a good deal of emphasis. “The conductor doesn’t 
even know that the man is a fugitive, and he would 
probably think a long time before taking our word. 
He doesn’t know us.” 

“He ought to,” insisted Ralph. “He saw us with 


80 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Tom and the other officers, and heard Tom send 
us home.” 

“I know that; but that is no reason why he 
should take our word about Tompkins. My ad- 
vice is to wait until we reach Harrisburg and nab 
him ourselves. 

“We did that once before,” said Ralph with a 
shrug of his shoulders, “and see what happened.” 

“Then it’s up to us to see that the same thing 
doesn’t happen again.” 

“You surely said something,” was Ralph’s em- 
phatic rejoinder. “We’ll see to it that he doesn’t 
elude us this time.” 

Dick endorsed the statement with a nod of his 
head quite as emphatic as Ralph’s words and the 
discussion ceased for the time, as both lads threw 
themselves back in their seats, their faces well cov- 
ered by their caps, and kept a watchful eye upon 
the fugitive. 

It was now daylight and both the boys were 
sleepy, Dick particularly so, as he had been longer 
on the trail; but they made a manful effort and 
kept awake, ready to act whenever the time was 
ripe. 

It was almost 6 o’clock when the conductor called 
“Harrisburg.” 

Tompkins got to his feet and moved toward the 
door. Dick and Ralph followed him at some dis- 
tance. 


ON THE TRAIL 


81 


“We’ll see where he goes,” whispered Dick, and 
Ralph nodded his understanding. 

For a second they followed Tompkins through 
the station and up Market street. But this time 
the chase was not so long. 

Tompkins turned in a hotel on the corner of 
Fourth and Market, and the lads saw him approach 
the desk and register. Then, escorted by a bell- 
boy, he entered the elevator. 

Dick breathed a sigh of relief. 

“We’ve got him this time,” he confided to Ralph. 

“That so?” said Ralph. “How do you mean?” 

“Why, it’s plain enough. He’s dead sure he’s 
safe, or he wouldn’t have come here; also he’s worn 
out, and the chances are he is suffering from some 
injury. He’s so dead tired he probably will sleep 
for eight hours, and we know right where he is. 
That should be enough.” 

“All right if you say so,” said Ralph, “but what 
do you figure on doing? Going in after him?” 

“Not this time,” replied Dick with a smile. “He 
might give us the slip again. First we’ll see under 
what name he has registered. Then we’ll go to 
police headquarters and get some help.” 

“Good,” said Ralph. Now, let’s have a look at 
his name.” 

The boy entered the hotel and approached the 
desk. While Ralph engaged the clerk in conver- 
sation, Dick scanned the register. The last name 


82 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


on the page was William Watson. This, Dick 
knew must be Tompkins, for no other man had 
registered since the lads had seen Tompkins sign 
the book. 

It was only a few minutes’ walk to police head- 
quarters, where Dick demanded to see Chief of 
Police Holbrook. He had no trouble in securing 
a hearing, for he was well known as Tom Hazel- 
ton’s brother. 

Chief Holbrook listened to Dick’s story in amaze- 
ment. 

“So that’s where Murphy and Delehanty went?” 
he said, when the lad had concluded.” According 
to your account of things they should be back by 
this time. They could cover the distance almost 
as quickly as a train.” 

The chief was surely a good reckoner, for even 
as he spoke the door of the office opened and Mur- 
phy and Delehanty strode in. They greeted the 
boys heartily and briefly confirmed the story they 
had told of the chase. They likewise officially re- 
ported the capture of one of the bandits and the 
death of another. 

“Very good, men,” said the chief after they had 
finished. “Now, if you will summon Clancy and 
Jones, I have a little piece of work I’d like you to 
do before you turn in for a much-needed rest.” 

Murphy stepped to the door, and in response to his 


ON THE TRAIL 83 

call two other policemen entered. Chief Holbrook 
addressed Murphy and Delehanty. 

'‘You've had a lively chase," he said, “and it 
was only partly successful — two quarters so, I 
might say. Now if you will follow our young 
friends, I believe you'll be able to round up another 
quarter." 

Murphy and Delehanty looked at Dick and Ralph 
in surprise. 

“But — •" began Murphy. 

“I know what you'd say, Murph," laughed the 
chief; but the fact is that this man Tompkins you 
have been trying so hard to get, double-crossed you 
at the scene of the wreck, and returned on the same 
train with these boys." 

“And where is he now, sir?" demanded Dele- 
hanty. 

“That's what these boys will show you," said the 
chief. “I've only one word for you, and that is, 
bring this man Tompkins to me dead or alive within 
the hour.'* 

“We’ll do it, sir," declared Murphy. 

Without further words Dick led the way from 
headquarters to the hotel where, after another 
glance at the register, the officers demanded to be 
shown to room 605. 

“Top floor, eh?" commented Murphy. “Then 
he's safe enough. He won't jump out the window, 
I guess." 


84 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


The two lads and the four policemen crowded 
into the little elevator and ascended to the sixth 
floor. The bell boy escorted them to room 605 and 
Dick! rappped on the door. 

There was no answer to the first knock, so Dick 
rapped again. Those outside heard sounds of a 
man leaving a bed, and footsteps on the floor. 

“Who’s there?” came a voice sleepily. 

Dick wasted no time in subterfuge. 

“The police!” he replied sharply. “We want 
you, Tompkins. Open the door.” 

Dick, with his ear to the door, heard Tompkins 
mutter an imprecation; but instead of opening 
the door the lad heard footsteps crossing the floor. 

“Open the door!” cried Dick again. 

Tompkins approached the door and spoke. 

“I warn you to get away from that door,” he 
said in a loud voice. “I’m a desperate man and 1 
won’t be taken alive.” 

“Don’t be a fool, man,” interposed Murphy at 
this juncture. “We’re six to one against you. 
Open the door and come out peacefully, or we’ll 
have to come after you.” 

“Come after me, then,” said Tompkins harshly. 
“But I warn you I’ll shoot the first man to set 
foot in this room.” 

“No use talking, Murph, said Delehanty. “Put 
your shoulder to the door.” 

“I’ve a better way than that,” said Murphy. 


ON THE TRAIL 


85 


He placed the muzzle of his revolver against the 
lock and fired. Then he stepped back quickly as 
the door swung loose, — and it was well that he did 
so, for there was a flash from within, and a bullet 
sped through the door. 

“He's trying to keep his word,” declared Mur- 
phy. “We’ll have to rush him men, and one of 
us may get hurt. You boys, there, stand back. I 
don’t want to have Tom Hazelton on my back.” 

This time Dick and Ralph followed instructions 
without argument, and the four officers prepared 
for the rush. 

“Ready?” asked Murphy, who had appointed 
himself leader of the party. 

“All right, Murph,” said the others. 

“Then let’s go.” 

Murphy led the rush himself. The door was 
flung back under his powerful rush and a moment 
later he was in the room, revolver ready. 

From one side of the room came a second flash 
of fire, and Murphy staggered back, his revolver 
falling to the floor. Two more cracks followed 
in quick succession, and Murphy toppled in a heap. 

But in thus confining his attention to Murphy, 
Tompkins has exposed himself to the fire of Dele- 
hanty, the second man to enter the room. 

Delehanty fired twice quickly. There was a cry 
of pain from Tompkins, and the man crumpled up 
on the floor. 


86 THE BOY TROOPERS 

“And that settles you,” Dick heard Delehanty’s 
voice say. 

Unmindful of any further danger, Dick and 
Ralph rushed into the room. There they took in 
what had happened with a single glance. Dick 
leaped to Tompkins’ side. The other officers in the 
meantime were bending over Murphy. 

“He’ll live,” said Delehanty, “Thank God.” 

“And so will Tompkins,” said Dick rising to his 
feet. 

“I didn’t shoot to kill,” said Delehanty. “That 
man will live to hang, or I miss my guess. Call 
the ambulance, Clancy.” 

Clancy stepped to the phone. 

“And thanks for your assistance,” said Dele- 
hanty. “Come and see me tomorrow.” 

“Well, Delehanty,” said Dick, “I guess there 
is nothing more Ralph and I can do, so with your 
permission, we’ll leave you with your prisoner.” 

Without further words, Dick and Ralph left the 
room. 

“And now,” said Dick, “for home and a good 
sleep. I sure need it.” 

“Same here,” said Ralph, “and not only that, 
but I believe we’re entitled to it.” 

And to this Dick agreed. 


ON THE TRAIL 


87 


CHAPTER XI. 

A FRESH TRAIL. 

“Come on, Dick; get up out of there.” 

The voice was Tom’s. Dick sat up in bed. 

“Hello! When did you get back?” he demanded. 

“Just got here,” was Tom’s reply. “Stopped at 
headquarters when I reached Harrisburg and was 
told where I’d probably find you. You’ll have to 
go to headquarters with me now. Chief wants to 
talk to you before formally turning Tompkins over 
to me.” 

“All right,” said Dick. “I’ll be with you in a 
jiffy.” He turned and gave Ralph, who lay beside 
him and had not been aroused by the conversation, 
a nudge in the ribs. 

“Come, Ralph, time to get up.” 

Ralph opened his eyes sleepily and sat up. 

“What’s the trouble ?” he asked. 

“Not much,” replied Dick. “Just a little work 
to do. Roll out, now.” 

Ralph followed his chum to the floor and the 
two boys dressed rapidly. Then they accompanied 
Tom from the house. 

Fifteen minutes later found them again in po- 
lice headquarters and closeted with the chief. The 


88 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


latter asked several questions having to do with 
the chase after Tompkins, but the interview was 
brief and the matter of turning the prisoner over 
to Tom was transacted with dispatch. 

“Do you want him now, Tom?” the chief asked. 

“No,” replied Tom. “I’m going to catch the 
next train to Lancaster to report to Captain Mahon. 
I’ll stop for him on the way back and take him to 
Johnstown.” 

“He’s ready for you any time you want him,” 
said the chief. 

Tom left the room with his two companions. 

“Now, youngster,” he said, when they were on 
the street, “if you and Ralph want to go to Lan- 
caster with me I will interpose no objections. I’d 
like to introduce you to Captain Mahon.” 

“Hurray!” cried Ralph. “Of course we want 
to go. Don’t we, Dick?” 

“We certainly do,” Dick agreed. “How ^oon 
can we get a train, Tom ?” 

“Half an hour, which will put us in Lancaster 
at 5 o’clock. I may stay in Lancaster all night, 
but you two boys can return later in the evening 
if you wish.” 

“Why not stay until you return, Tom?” asked 
Dick. 

“Suit yourselves.” 

“Then we’ll stay,” Ralph decided. 

And so it was arranged. 


ON THE TRAIL 


89 


It is only a short run from Harrisburg to Lan- 
caster on the fast express trains, so it was not yet 
half past five when the three left the train there. 

“Straight to troop headquarters for us,” said 
Dick, and led the way. 

Dick had been in Lancaster often before, but as 
he had never met his brother’s troop commander, 
he now followed Tom with considerable eagerness. 
So, for that matter, did Ralph. * 

Captain Mahon was in his office when Tom and 
his young companions entered. He greeted Tom 
with a smile. 

“Well, Hazelton,” he said, “I trust you are here 
to report success?” 

“Partial success, sir,” replied Tom. “The man 
I went after is in jail in Harrisburg with a wounded 
companion whom I have reason to believe was im- 
plicated in the robbery. However, I have not the 
proof, so I shall leave him there. I intend taking 
Tompkins to Johnstown tomorrow.” 

“I should say that your quest had been fully suc- 
cessful,” declared Captain Mahon. 

“That’s because you haven’t heard all the details, 
sir,” was Tom’s smiling rejoinder. 

“Proceed,” said his captain. 

“Well, sir,” Tom continued, “a third member 
of this bandit gang was killed in a wreck as we 
pursued him.” 

“Even better,” commented Captain Mahon. 


90 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“But the fourth man,” said Tom, “escaped.” 

Captain Mahon’s eyebrows drew together in a 
frown. 

“Bad,” he said. “Explain, Hazelton.” 

Thus urged, Tom explained the whole case from 
the time he had encountered Tompkins before Dick 
and Ralph were drawn into the case. He extolled 
the action of both lads highly, and when he had 
concluded his recital, Captain Mahon sprang to his 
feet and extended a hand to each lad in turn. 

“That was good work, young men,” he declared. 
“The troop will be glad to thank you, through me, 
for your services. You have shown great courage 
and resourcefulness.” 

Both lads were considerably confused by this 
high praise, and their faces flushed. Captain Ma- 
hon smiled. 

“Modest, too, eh?” he chuckled. “You’ll get 
over that by the time you are as old as Hazelton 
here.” He turned to Tom again. “Is it your 
opinion, Hazelton,” he asked, “that there is a pos- 
sibility of this McKeesport bank robbery being at- 
tempted tomorrow night in spite of what has 
happened ?” 

“It hardly seems probable, sir,” Tom replied, 
“but there is always the possibility that it may. 
Besides, I am convinced that we have rounded up 
only a small part of an organized band of bank 


ON THE TRAIL 91 

robbers. I believe it would be well to be on the 
safe side.” 

“I’ve no doubt you’re right,” said Captain Ma- 
hon, after a slight pause, in which he seemed to 
be considering the matter. “In that event we will 
be prepared. Now that you’re on this case. Hazel- 
ton, you might as well stay. I will let you pick 
half a dozen men and go to McKeesport tonight so 
that you may be on hand if anything happens.” 

“Very well, sir,” said Tom, “but how about 
Tompkins ?” 

“I’ll send Reynolds to take him back to Johns- 
town. Your troubles with Tompkins are over.” 

“Very well, sir.” 

“By the way,” said Captain Mahon, “it strikes 
me that your brother and his chum here are en- 
titled to something in the way of a reward.” 

“We didn’t do anything to get a reward for, sir,” 
declared Dick. 

“Nevertheless, I feel that you are entitled to one,” 
said Captain Mahon. “Come now, tell me what 
you would like, and if your wish is humanly pos- 
sible, I will do my best to see that it is granted.” 

Ralph’s heart leaped. 

“Anything, sir?” he queried excitedly. 

“I said anything within reason,” replied Captain 
Mahon. 

“Then,” said Ralph, “for my part, I would like 


92 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


to go with Tom to McKeesport and see the finish 
of the bandits, if they try to rob the bank.” 

At this Tom stepped forward with an ejacula- 
tion. 

“But — ” he began. 

Captain Mahon held up a hand for silence. Then 
he turned to Dick. 

“How about you, my lad?” he asked. “What 
is your wish in this matter?” 

“To go with Tom,” declared Dick stoutly. 

Captain Mahon turned to Tom. 

“You see, Hazelton?” he exclaimed. 

“But think of the danger, captain,” Tom pro- 
tested. 

“Pooh!” exclaimed the captain. “There is not 
one chance in a hundred that the robbery will be 
attempted. Besides, these lads have been through 
just as exciting events the last few hours and have 
come out whole. There is no cause to think they 
will come to grief now.” 

“But — ” Tom began again. 

“Besides,” Captain Mahon continued, “I have 
promised to grant them their wish if it is in reason, 
and I am convinced that a trip to McKeesport is 
within reason. Come now, Hazelton, will you per- 
mit them to go with you, or must they go sep- 
arately ?” 

“They can go with me, of course, sir, if they 


ON THE TRAIL 


93 


must go,” replied Tom; “but to be perfectly frank, 
I’d rather they wouldn’t.” 

“But I’ve said they shall,” decided Captain Ma- 
hon,” and that settles it. Their transportation, of 
course, I shall see to myself. Now, Hazelton, you 
go pick your men while I have some further words 
with these Young State Troopers here.” 

Tom saluted and took his departure, while the 
lads swelled with pride at what Captain Mahon 
had called them. 

“Young State Troopers.” It was something to 
be proud of, in the minds of both Dick and Ralph. 

“I just wanted to thank you again,” said Cap- 
tain Mahon. “You have been of invaluable serv- 
ice to my troop and I shall make it my business to 
see that all members of the troop hear about it. 
If I can ever be of service to you, do not hesitate 
to call on me.” 

“Thank you, sir,” said Dick and Ralph, almost 
in a single voice. 

Captain Mahon engaged the lads in further con- 
versation, until Tom returned half an hour later, 
followed by six other members of the troop. These 
he introduced to Dick and Ralph as Troopers 
Griggs, Benton, Holliday, Jackson, Bowers and 
Saylor. 

“I suppose,” said Captain Mahon, “you will 
catch the next train for Pittsburgh?” 

“We surely will,” was Tom’s prompt reply. “It’s 


94 THE BOY TROOPERS 

most too far,” he added with a smile, “to go on 
horseback.” 

“Or even on motorcycles,” laughed Captain Ma- 
hon. “They'll have to stop calling us ‘troopers' 
pretty soon, if we continue the use of trains and 
automobiles like you have been doing the last few 
days.” 

“That's true. Captain; but horses are mighty 
little use to a state constable these days. I expect 
it will be only a few years when we shall all be 
regularly mounted on motorcycles, just as the 
United States cavalry. 

“But about this McKeesport trip. If we start 
immediately, we shall get to Pittsburgh a little after 
midnight. We'll stay there until the seven o’clock 
train out on the B. & O., which will get us into 
McKeesport half an hour later. That will give 
me the day to get the lay of the land. If the rob- 
bery comes off on schedule time, we shall be ready 
for it.” 

“Very well,” said the troop commander. “If 
you will take my advice, you will visit the bank 
officials first thing in the morning and tip them off 
on what to expect.” 

“I shall do so, sir.” 

“It might be well to post a couple of men in the 
vaults,” said Captain Mahon. 

“I shall take whatever precautions I can, sir,” 
declared Tom. 


ON THE TRAIL 


95 


“Very well! Then there is no need my keeping 
you longer. Goodbye and good luck to you. And 
by the way, see that my young friends here are well 
taken care of.” 

“I’ll keep them out of harm’s way, sir,” declared 
Tom grimly. 

“No, no! I didn’t mean that,” Captain Mahon 
hastened to add. “Give them a chance to see what 
is going on. Don’t forbid them to be out after 
dark. Times have changed since you were a boy, 
remember.” 

“They haven’t changed much, sir,” replied Tom 
with a laugh. “It was only two or three years ago 
that I would have been classed as a boy myself. 
I’m pretty young yet, captain.” 

“Maybe so. Maybe so,” said Captain Mahon. 

“Well, I won’t retain you longer. Report at your 
earliest convenience. That’s all.” 


CHAPTER XII. 

MC KEESPORT. 

McKeesport, a city of something less than 
45,000 population at the time this story is written, 
lies fifteen miles east of Pittsburgh on the main 
line of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. It is in 


96 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


the center of the steel industrial region and boasts 
some of the largest steel plants in the United States. 

It was toward this city that Dick, Ralph, Dick’s 
brother Tom and the six state troopers were headed 
one morning in the early part of July. 

In accordance with Tom’s plans, they had spent 
the night in Pittsburgh. After breakfasting in the 
hotel near the Pennsylvania station, they caught a 
car across town to the Baltimore and Ohio depot, 
where they boarded the first eastbound train. 

It was shortly before nine o’clock when they 
alighted in McKeesport. 

It was no uncommon sight in McKeesport for 
half a dozen or more unmounted state troopers to 
be on the street, so Tom was not fearful of arous- 
ing the suspicion of the bank bandits should they 
be in the city. Nevertheless, he deemed it advis- 
able to keep his men out of sight as much as pos- 
sible. Accordingly, he led them to a hotel just 
across the street from the depot and had rooms 
assigned them. Tom took a room with Dick and 
Ralph. 

“Now,” he said, after the bellboy had left them 
alone, “I am going to the bank and interview the 
president or some of the other officials. I can take 
one of you with me, not both. Which of you wants 
to go.” 

“I do,” said Dick. 

“I do,” declared Ralph. 


ON THE TRAIL 


97 


Tom smiled. 

“I said one of you,” he replied. 

“Tell you what, Dick, said Ralph, “I’ll flip a 
coin. If you call it you go. If you don’t I go.” 

“Suits me,” said Dick. “Flip the coin.” 

Ralph produced a quarter, which he spun in the 
air, catching it as it came down and covering it with 
his other hand. 

“Heads,” said Dick. 

The lads bent over the coin. 

“Tails,” said Ralph. “You lose.” 

“That’s tough,” said Dick, with a grin, “but I 
guess I can stand it.” 

“You’d better wait here until we return,” said 
Tom, as with Ralph at his heels he passed out the 
door. 

Dick sat down and picked up a paper. 

“I’ll read till you get back,” he called after the 
others. 

The First National Bank was a block away, on 
Fifth avenue, in the very heart of the business sec- 
tion of the city. 

“You’d imagine a gang of bandits would think 
twice before trying to break into a place like this,” 
was Ralph’s comment as they entered the building. 

Tom shrugged his shoulders. 

“They’re desperate men,” he replied. “Most of 
them would stop at nothing.” 


98 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


He approached the cashier’s cage and asked to be 
directed to the office of the president. 

“Straight back,” said the man in the cage, jerk- 
ing a thumb over his shoulder. 

Tom led the way to the door of a room labeled 
“President Wheeler, private,” where they were 
halted by an office boy. 

The boy disappeared into the private office, but 
was back in a couple of miutes. 

“Mr. Wheeler will see you at once,” he an- 
nounced. “This way, please.” 

Tom and the boy followed their escort into the 
private office, where they were cordially greeted by 
a fine-looking man with iron-gray hair and mous- 
tache, who shook hands with Tom and then with 
the boy, whom Tom introduced humorously as his 
body-guard. 

“And to what am I indebted for this early morn- 
ing visit?” enquired the bank president with an ex- 
pression of mingled humor and surprise. 

“Some rather unpleasant information, Mr. 
Wheeler,” said Tom. “We have accidentally dis- 
covered that there is a plan on foot to rob your 
bank to-night, by the same law-breakers who robbed 
the Johnstown bank.” 

“What!” exclaimed President Wheeler, starting 
to his feet. “You don’t mean it?” 

“Unfortunately I do!” was Tom’s emphatic reply. 
“I am here to prevent it if possible.” 


ON THE TRAIL 99 

“Kindly explain,” said the banker as he resumed 
his seat. 

Tom did so. At the conclusion of the story. 
President Wheeler drew a breath of relief as he 
remarked: “It looks serious, although there is no 
certainty that the robbery will be attempted.” 

“My thought, exactly,” agreed Tom. “If the 
men we have captured, or killed were the ring lead- 
ers, the plan will be abandoned; otherwise not. 
Therefore, we should take all precautions.” 

“I not only agree with you,” said the banker, 
“but I am most anxious to assist in any way you 
suggest.” 

“That being the case, I shall station three of my 
men in the bank tonight. I and the other men 
will remain outside on the street. Personally, I 
hope the attempt will be made, as I am most anx- 
ious to round up all the bandits. If I may count 
upon you then, I shall have my men report to you 
singly after 3 o’clock this afternoon.” 

“You may count upon me to the limit,” declared 
President Wheeler. “Of course the presence of 
your men will cause some comment among the em- 
ployes of the bank, but I can promise that there 
will be no outside talk.” 

“That is well,” said Tom. “Now, if it is not 
too much trouble, will you walk through the bank 
with me and show me the location of the vaults?” 

“Of course,” and President Wheeler led the way. 


100 


TI1E BOY TROOPERS 


The inspection lasted perhaps half an hour, then 
Tom and Ralph returned to the president’s private 
office. 

“I should say the vaults would require the at- 
tention of a master craftsman,” was Tom’s com- 
ment. “I can’t say that I have ever seen stronger. 
You have time-locks, of course?” 

“Yes; set for 9 o’clock each morning.” 

“Well, I guess there is npthing further, Mr. 
Wheeler,” said Tom. “You may expect the first 
of my men soon after three. I have your assur- 
ance that they will be given the run of the bank ?” 

“You have. Of course, it will be necessary to 
take my night watchman into your confidence. His 
name is Gridley.” 

“I’ll leave that to you, sir.” 

“Very well. I must say that I believe your fears 
are groundless; but at the same time I agree with 
you that it is best to be prepared. Goodbye.” 

They shook hands, and Tom and Ralph took their 
departure. 

Dick was still absorbed in his newspaper when 
his brother and chum returned. 

“All fixed for tonight?” he asked as they entered 
the room. 

“Almost,” was Tom’s reply. “Ralph call in the 
other men.” 

Ralph left’ the room, only to return in a few mo- 


ON THE TRAIL 


101 


ments followed by the six troopers. To these Tom 
outlined his plan of action. 

“Bowers,” said Tom, addressing the man by that 
name, “I’ll appoint you in command within the build- 
ing. Holliday and Benton will be with you. Ben- 
ton will report to Mr. Wheeler at 3.15 o'clock. 
Holliday, will show up at the bank at three thirty, 
and Bowers, you wait until four. You will use 
your own discretion once you are inside. 

“Griggs,” turning to another,” you will act di- 
rectly under me. Jackson and Saylor will come 
with us. I haven’t decided yet just where we will 
take our stand. I’ll have to look over the ground 
first.” 

“How about Ralph and me?” demanded Dick at 
this juncture. 

“I have your places all picked out,” declared Tom 
with a grin. 

“That so?” asked Dick eagerly. “Where?” 

“Right here in this room,” declared Tom grimly. 
Captain Mahon is not here to intercede for you 
now, and I want it understood that my orders must 
be obeyed.” 

Dick, who had stood up suddenly at Tom’s first 
words, now sat down again greatly crestfallen. 

Ralph also subsided, but mumbled something un- 
intelligible under his breath. 

“I want you two boys to understand that I mean 
what I say,” said Tom. “I know you would like 


102 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


to get into whatever excitement offers itself, and 
I am sorry I have to deny you the privilege. But 
I’m responsible for your safety, and I want to make 
sure that you don’t get hurt.” 

“Well, all right,” Dick growled, “but I want to 
tell you I think its a shabby trick.” 

“It may be,” Tom admitted, “but you’ve heard 
my last word on the subject.” 

And with this Dick and Ralph were forced to be 
content. As Ralph said: “I guess we’re lucky to 
get this far. We’d better keep quiet or he’s liable 
to ship us home.” 

“Right you are,” Dick agreed. “Besides, its 
always possible something will turn up, you know.” 

In the afternoon, Tom, alone, strolled for half 
an hour up and down in front of the bank, out- 
lining his plan of campaign. At three o’clock he 
was back in the hotel, attending to the departure 
of his men as they left, one at a time, to report to 
President Wheeler at the First National. 

When Bowers, Benton and Holliday had gone, he 
called the others together for a consultation. 

Briefly outlined Tom’s plan was this: With 
Griggs, he would take his stand a block from the 
bank on Fifth avenue. The other two troopers 
would be a block away on the other side of the bank. 

“We’ll have to keep on the move,” he explained, 
“for should one of the bandits spot us loitering 
about it might spoil everything. But even if we 


ON THE TRAIL 


103 


are not all always in sight, one of us is bound to 
see the yeggmen if they appear.” 

And thus it was arranged. 

Upon Tom’s instructions, the troopers did not 
leave the hotel until after 11 o’clock. Until that 
hour Fifth avenue was crowded, and it was un- 
likely that an effort to break into the bank would 
be made at that hour. 

But at half past eleven, Tom led the way from 
the hotel. Dick and Ralph, chafing at their bonds, 
so to speak, were left behind. 

“If we don’t get a look-in on the round up, I’ll 
say its pretty tough,” declared Ralph after the oth- 
ers had gone. 

“I agree with you, ’’replied Dick. “I’d give a nickel 
if something would happen that would let us in.” 

And, as has been said before, something did 
happen. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THE ROBBERY. 

In accordance with Tom’s instructions, Dick and 
Ralph did not budge from their room in the hotel. 
Despite the fact that they discussed the situation 
at length, the time passed slowly. 


104 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Three o’clock came and then four without word 
from Tom or any of the other troopers. 

“Looks as though nothing would happen,” said 
Ralph. 

For reply, Dick thrust his head out the window 
and looked down the street. For perhaps five min- 
utes he saw nothing, then he caught the outline 
of a figure several blocks away. He felt sure that 
it was one of Tom’s men. 

“They’re still on the job, anyhow,” he said. 

Daylight dawned and still the lads did not turn 
in. 

“We’ll stay up until they come back,” Ralph 
declared. 

To this Dick agreed. 

It was seven o’clock when the door finally opened 
and Tom strode in. 

“No sign of the bandits, eh?” said Dick in greet- 
ing. 

Tom shook his head. 

“None,” he replied. “I guess the attempted rob- 
bery has been given up. However, I have left two 
men outside, and the men inside will remain until 
the bank opens for business at nine o’clock. 

“Are you going to watch again tonight?” asked 
Ralph. 

Again Tom shook his head. 

“I think not,” he replied. “Besides, we may 
have to hop to Allentown you know.” 


ON THE TBAIL 


105 


“It wouldn’t surprise me if the bandits switched 
the dates and made the attempt here at the time set 
for the Allentown robbery,” declared Dick. 

“That’s possible, too,” Tom admitted. “How- 
ever, we’ll have to take a chance. I’m convinced, 
though, that if they don’t make this attempt they 
won’t make the other, either.” 

“Maybe not,” said Dick. “Well, what are you 
going to do?” 

“I’m going to stay here until the bank opens,” 
Tom replied “after which I shall interview the pres- 
ident once more and then we’ll go home.” 

“You mean to Lancaster?” asked Dick. 

“No, I don’t. I’m going to see that you boys 
get back to Harrisburg first, and I’m going to leave 
you there. Then I shall report to Captain Mahon.” 

“I see,” said Dick. “Figuring on getting rid 
of us, eh?” 

“Exactly. And when I’m once rid of you, I’m 
going to stay rid of you. You can take my word 
for that.” 

“Perhaps,” said Dick. 

“No perhaps about it. But come! We’ll go 
down and have a bite to eat. I see you haven’t 
slept any, so you’ll get no sleep until we get home. 
I want to leave here by ten o’clock if possible. 

They descended to a restaurant below, where 
they appeased their appetites, and then returned to 
their room. 


106 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


At nine o’clock Tom started for the bank. This 
time he permitted both lads to accompany him. 

“There is no danger now; that’s sure,” he said. 

But this time it was Tom who had reckoned with- 
out his host. 

The president of the bank received Tom with a 
smile, and motioned his three callers to seats. 

“I am glad to find that your fears were ground- 
less,” he said to Tom. 

“And I’m not so glad,” replied Tom, returning the 
smile. “I was in hopes to round up the bandits 
red-handed.” 

“Do you still anticipate the attempt?” asked the 
president. 

“No, I don’t,” said Tom. “I shall leave with my 
men this morning.” 

“Well, I’m sorry you have been disappointed,” 
said the president. “Perhaps some other time we 
can offer you more diversion.” 

“Perhaps,” said Tom, rising. “I’m glad to have 
met you sir, and I trust I shall never have occasion 
to call upon a similar errand.” 

The two shook hands, and Tom moved toward 
the door, Dick and Ralph following him. 

The president stepped quickly forward and 
opened the door that his visitors might pass out. 
Dick crossed the threshold first, and as he did so 
his eyes took in a sight that caused him to stop 
stock still. 


ON THE TRAIL 


107 


“By Jove!” he exclaimed: 

“What’s the matter, Dick?” demanded Tom. 

“Matter,” said Dick, stepping quickly back, and 
closing the door, “is that the bank is being robbed 
at this moment.” 

“What!” 

Exclamations were wrung from Tom and the 
president of the bank simultaneously. 

“Perfectly true,” said Dick. “There are two 
men out there with guns levelled at the occupants 
of the two cages. How many more I can’t say. 
That’s all I saw. What are you going to do about 
it?” 

The president stepped forward as though to open 
the door, but Tom gripped him by the shoulder. 

“Wait, he said. “Its certain death to go out 
there.” He looked around. At the other end of 
the room was a window. “I’ll go out this way,” he 
said, as he crossed the room. 

Dick and Ralph followed him. 

“Wait a minute,” said Tom stepping back. “Have 
you a gun, Mr. Wheeler?” 

“Yes.” 

“Get it at once.” 

The banker opened a drawer in his desk and took 
therefrom a heavy caliber automatic. 

“You still have yours, haven’t you Dick ?” asked 
Tom. 

“You bet!” and Dick produced his weapon. 


108 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Ralph likewise put his hand into his hip pocket 
and drew forth its mate. 

“All right,” said Tom. “Now, I’m going out 
this window and take the bandits from behind. I 
won’t have time to notify my men, so we’ll have 
to take a chance as we are. When you hear a shot, 
open the door and rush out. Shoot the first man 
you see. Understand ?” 

“Perfectly,” replied Dick. 

“All right.” 

Tom climbed to the window sill, and disappeared. 
The others waited in silence, ready to act as soon 
as they heard the signal. 

At last the signal came. 

“Crack! Crack!” 

Dick heard the two pistol shots in quick suc- 
cession. His hand already on the door knob, he 
swung the door open without further preliminartes, 
and dashed from President Wheeler’s office. 

At the end of the long corridor which ran around 
the cages, enclosed by bars of steel, he saw two 
figures with revolvers levelled toward the other end 
of the building. 

Without stopping to ascertain their possible mark, 
Dick raised his arm and fired. One of the men 
toppled to the floor, but the second, wheeling quickly 
in his tracks, fired at Dick. 

Dick dodged instinctively as the man raised his 
arm, and the bullet whistled over his head. 


ON THE TRAIL 


109 


But the bullet found a mark nevertheless. In 
dodging-, Dick had exposed President Wheeler to 
the bandit’s aim. 

Struck in the breast, the bank president crumpled 
to the floor with a groan. 

Stooping as he was, Dick fired again, but this 
time his bullet missed its mark, and the bandit be- 
took himself to a position around the corner of the 
cage where he was out of Dick’s range. 

From the other end of the bank came the sound 
of firing, and Dick and Ralph dashed forward to- 
gether. 

When Tom left President Wheeler’s office, he 
made quick time around the building and entered 
the bank again from the outside without being dis- 
covered. There he saw that there were at least 
eight bandits implicated in the attempted robbery. 
Two of these guarded the approach to the presi- 
dent’s office, four others were at the cages, and two 
more had succeeded in forcing an entrance to the 
vaults behind the cages. 

Tom knew it would be futile to call upon the 
bandits to surrender, for they outnumbered him too 
greatly. Therefore, immediately he re-entered the 
bank, he fired at the nearest man. The latter 
dropped in his tracks. 

As he did so, the man nearest him wheeled 
and a bullet sped close to Tom. Tom returned the 
second bandit’s fire, but the robber ducked and was 


110 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


unharmed. Tom sought shelter in the doorway. 

Things were thus at a deadlock when Dick, Ralph 
and President Wheeler entered from the latter’s 
office. 

When Dick fired his first shot, Tom again went 
into action, and with a single shot dropped the ban- 
dit nearest to him as he wheeled to fire at Dick. 

This left six of the robbers to contend with. 

At this juncture, the man who had fled before 
Dick, seized the chance to take a shot at Tom. 
Although he fired from his hip, the bullet reached 
its mark, and Tom felt the sting in his left arm as 
the missile ploughed through the flesh. He was 
nevertheless able to continue the battle. 

In the meantime, the men inside the vaults had 
been busy. While one stood guard, the other had 
stuffed his pockets with bills of large denomination. 

“Quick Mike!” said the sentinel. “We’ve got 
enough. Get out your gun and we’ll fight our 
way to the street!” 

Together the men appeared around the corner of 
the cage, and opened fire on Dick and Ralph, who 
were closest to them. 

By this time word of the robbery had been flashed 
to police headquarters. Citizens, attracted by the 
sound of firing, had investigated and learned what 
was going on. A crowd collected on the street 
close to the bank, but still at a safe distance. Each 
of the six remaining yeggmen realized that if he 


ON THE TRAIL 


111 


were going to escape it would be by a bold and 
immediate dash. 

Consequently, with guns blazing, the men who 
had been in the vaults, throwing caution to the 
winds, dashed from their places. Before Dick or 
Ralph, or even Tom, could stop them, they had 
joined the others. Then the six made a concerted 
rush for the door. 

And Tom was the only man who barred their 
progress. 

Regardless of his own danger, the brave trooper 
stepped into the open and fired point blank at the 
oncoming yeggmen, — once, twice, three times. One 
man dropped and another staggered, but kept on. 

Tom went to the floor with a bullet in his hip. 

Dick and Ralph, rushing after the bandits, emp- 
tied the contents of their revolvers into the ranks 
of the yeggmen. Another man fell but the remain- 
ing four passed through the door and leaped into 
a high-powered automobile at the curb. 

Onlookers scattered right and left as they swept 
the street with their guns. Then, even as Dick 
and Ralph reached the doorway, the automobile be- 
gan to move. A minute later it was lost to sight. 


112 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


CHAPTER XIV. 

DICK AND RALPH UNDERTAKE A MISSION. 

Dick's first thought was for a means of convey- 
ance in which to pursue the bandits. He looked 
around quickly. There were several automobiles 
parked in the street nearby. Followed by Ralph, 
he darted toward one. As he was about to leap 
into the machine, however, he stopped. 

“Hurry,” said Ralph. “What are you waiting 
for? They'll be beyond pursuit in a minute.” 

“We can’t catch them,” replied Dick. “Besides, 
we would be no match for them. We’ll just have 
to let them go.” 

He led the way back to the bank, where em- 
ployes already were working over Tom and the 
bandits who had fallen. A man that Dick took to 
be a physician pushed his way through the crowd 
and stooped over his brother, who still lay on the 
floor. 

“Ralph,” said Dick, “you run to the hotel and 
summon the troopers. I’ll stay here with Tom.” 

Ralph hurried away. 

“How is he, doctor?” asked Dick, as the phy- 
sician who had been examining his brother arose 
to his feet. 


ON THE TRAIL 


113 


“Oh, he’ll be around shortly, but he’ll probably 
be little lame in one leg and his left arm. The bul- 
let in the hip must have paralyzed a nerve, which 
accounts for his sudden collapse; but it’s not even 
serious.” 

Willing hands lifted Tom and carried him to a 
sofa in President Wheeler’s office. The bank pres- 
ident had already been taken there, and a second 
physician had dressed his wounds. Fortunately, 
like Tom, the president was not dangerously 
wounded, although his wound was much more 
serious. 

The physician who had attended Tom proved a 
good prophet. Five miutes later Tom suddenly 
arose to a sitting posture. There must have been 
some pain, for presently he touched the wound in his 
hip very gingerly. 

“So,” he said with a grin; “I stopped a bullet, 
did I?” 

“Yes,” replied Dick, who sat beside him, “but 
the doctor says the wound is not dangerous.” 

“But you’ll be laid up for the better part of a 
week,” declared the physician approaching. 

“I can’t afford to be laid up,” Tom protested. 

“I’ve work to do.” 

“Nevertheless, absolute quiet is essential,” the 
physician replied firmly. “I shall have you re- 
moved to the hospital at once.” 

At this moment Ralph entered the room, accom- 


114 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


panied by Tom’s men. The latter expressed their 
regrets at Tom’s injuries and disappointment at 
not being on hand to participate in the fight. 

“Bowers,” said Tom, “you rush to the telegraph 
office and flash the alarm. We may be able to head 
the bandits off. Holliday, you find out what ef- 
forts the local authorities are making to apprehend 
the yeggmen and give whatever assistance you can. 
I have no doubt posses are already being organized. 
Hopes of catching the men in this vicinity probably 
are slim, but we must overlook nothing. Bowers, 
you take two men, and Holliday, you take the 
others. I’ll be laid up for several days, so I’ll 
depend upon you to report to Captain Mahon. Fur- 
ther instructions will have to come from him.” 

The troopers took their departure. 

“Now,” said the physician, “I’ll help you into 
my car and take you to the hospital.” 

Dick and Ralph went with Tom, and saw him 
made comfortable in a private room at the hospital. 
Then they sat down beside him. 

“Isn’t there something we can do, Tom?” asked 
Ralph. 

“Do your parents know where you are?” was 
Tom’s query. 

“Well, they don’t right now, but they will,” re- 
plied Ralph. “I wrote them last night; I also wrote 
to my uncle in Pittsburgh. He has probably been 
alarmed at my absence.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


115 


“I should think so,” said Tom. “Dick, father 
and mother should be home in a day or two. I 
guess the best thing for you boys to do is to go 
home.” 

“Wouldn’t you like to have us go to Lancaster 
and report to Captain Mahon for you?” asked Dick. 

“That might be a good idea,” Tom admitted. “I’ll 
be perfectly comfortable here, so you boys catch 
the next train into Pittsburgh, and then head for 
home. I suppose you will want to stop and see 
your uncle, Ralph?” 

“Yes,” Ralph replied. “As a matter of fact I 
am supposed to remain with him for some time yet. 
Dick was coming to spend a week or so with me in 
Pittsburgh, you know.” 

“Well, do whatever you think best when you 
reach Pittsburgh,” said Tom. “If you don’t care 
to go to Lancaster, I don’t suppose it will make 
any difference.” 

“Oh, we’ll go to Lancaster whatever else we de- 
cide to do,” said Ralph. Then I may remain in 
Harrisburg until Mr. and Mrs. Hazelton return and 
Dick can come back to Pittsburgh with me.” 

“Suit yourselves,” said Tom, “but I would ad- 
vise you to get started as soon as possible.” 

After some further conversation, the lads took 
their leave of Tom, returned to the hotel and paid 
the bills for all, with money Tom gave them, and 
made inquiries concerning pursuit of the bandits. 


116 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Two men who had been shot in the bank, they 
learned, were dead. Two more were badly wounded. 
The nearby country was being scoured by posses 
in high-powered automobiles for traces of the yegg- 
men , but so far no clue to their whereabouts had 
been found. 

Having learned this much, the lads caught a 
train to Pittsburgh, where they arrived shortly after 
noon. They repaired at once to the downtown of- 
fices of Ralph’s uncle. The latter was overjoyed 
to see them. 

“I didn’t know what could have happened to you 
Ralph,” he said. “Your aunt has been almost dis- 
tracted. I’ll ’phone her at once that you are safe.” 

He did so. 

“Now,” he said, “what are you going to do?” 

“Going to Lancaster,” replied Ralph, and ex- 
plained why. 

Mr. Harkness — he was the brother of Ralph’s 
father — listened almost incredulous to Ralph’s ac- 
count of his adventures. 

**A11 I can say is that you want to be careful,” 
he declared when the lad had finished his story. 
“Also, you had better explain your disappearance 
to your father and mother when you get home. I 
don’t know whether they’ll want you to came back 
to Pittsburgh or not. Your mother will think your 
aunt and I don’t take . very good care of you.” 

“Oh, I guess not, sir,” said Ralph. “But we 


ON THE TRAIL 117 

must be going now. We’ll probably be back in a 
few days.” 

“Aren’t you going out to the house first ?” 

“No, sir; we won’t have time. We can catch 
a fast train in just thirty minutes.” 

“All right. Then I won’t detain you. Good- 
bye, Ralph. Goodbye, Dick. Come back when- 
ever you can.” 

The lads left the office and hurried to the Penn- 
sylvania station, where they arrived in time to ob- 
tain pleasant seats on the train. 

“First stop Altoona,” said Ralph, as the train 
began to move. “We should reach Lancaster by 
six o’clock.” 

They did. It still lacked a quarter of that hour 
when the train pulled into Lancaster. Dick and 
Ralph went at once to headquarters of Troop G, 
where they were fortunate enough to find Captain 
Mahon at liberty. The captain received them at 
once. 

“So you two lads are uninjured at least,” . he 
greeted them, for he had already learned by wire 
of the McKeesport robbery and its attending results. 

“Yes, sir,” said Dick. 

“That is good,” said the captain. “Here,” kick- 
ing out two chairs, “sit down and tell me all about 
it.” 

Dick did so, describing quietly the part he and 
Ralph had played in the battle. 


118 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“You did well,” said Captain Mahon, when he 
had concluded “Your brother has reason to feel 
proud of you, Dick.” 

“Thank you, sir,” said Dick, flushing with 
pleasure. 

“And now that you have brought your brother’s 
report to me, what are you going to do ?” asked the 
commander of Troop G. 

“Go home, I guess, sir,” replied Dick. 

“I see,” said Captain Mahon. “I thought pos- 
sibly you might wish to attend to a little matter for 
me first.” 

The captain’s tone was inquiring, and he sur- 
veyed the lads keenly from beneath his eyebrows. 

“Of, course, if we can be of any service, sir, we 
shall be only too glad,” said Dick. 

“We shall indeed, sir,” Ralph agreed. 

“I am convinced that you can,” replied Captain 
Mahon without hesitation. “Now I’ll tell you 
what. You must be both tired out. Suppose you 
go to a hotel, get a good night’s rest and report to 
me tomorrow morning at eight o’clock.” 

“Very well, sir,” replied Dick briefly. 

“Then that’s settled,” said Captain Mahon, ris- 
ing. “I’I. expect you promptly in the morning.” 

He shook hands with the boys, who left at once. 

Comfortably installed in a room in the best hotel, 
a short time later, Dick suddenly asked: 

“Wonder what the captain wants us to do?” 


ON THE TRAIL 119 

“Search me,” replied Ralph. “Why didn t you 
ask him?” 

Dick sniffed. 

“I would have looked nice, wouldn’t I ?” he made 
reply. “I might have spoiled everything.” 

“That’s true, too,” Ralph admitted. “I believe 
Captain Mahon is a man who realizes the value of 
few words.” 

“Exactly my opinion; which is why I said noth- 
ing” 

“We’ll know in the morning, at any rate,” said 
Ralph. “The thing to do is to get a good sleep 
tonight. I’m tired out.” 

“So am I. First, though, we’ll have something 
to eat, and walk around for an hour. Then we’ll 
feel more like sleeping.” 

This program was carried out, and it was almost 
two hours later that Dick and Ralph returned to 
the hotel and prepared to turn in for the night. 

In spite of the fact that neither lad wished the 
other to know that curiosity over the mission pro- 
posed by Captain Mahon was worrying him, it was 
nevertheless a fact that each was so impatient with 
excitement, that it was late when sleep finally came 
to them. When it did, they slept peacefully un- 
troubled by the events of the day, or che possibility 
of more exciting events in the days that were to 
follow. 


120 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


CHAPTER XV. 

ON ACTIVE SERVICE. 

Despite the soundness of their sleep, both lads 
■were astir bright and early in the morning. They 
•were dressed and breakfasted satisfactorily by half 
past seven o’clock. Then they started for troop 
headquarters. 

“Well be on time, at all events,” declared Dick, 
as they walked slowly along. 

“Right,” Ralph agreed. “Better a little early 
than a little late.” 

At five minutes to eight, they entered headquar- 
ters and make their way to Captain Mahon’s pri- 
vate office. That worthy was already immersed in 
a stack of papers. He looked up as the lads 
entered. 

“On time, I see,” he said with a smile. “It is 
well. Punctuality is one of my greatest hobbies. 
I am glad you are prompt. Be seated. I’ll be 
ready for you in a few moments.” 

The lads sat down and watched the troop com- 
mander as he sorted out his papers, making nota- 
tions now and then and occasionally raising his 
voice to call one of his subordinates from the other 
room. But fifteen minutes after their arrival, he 


ON THE TRAIL 121 

pushed his chair back from his desk and faced the 
lads. 

“Now,” he said, “we can talk. He surveyed 
them earnestly for some moments, and then con- 
tinued: “You are sure that you are ready to un- 
dertake this mission?” 

“Perfectly, sir,” replied Ralph, speaking for Dick 
as well. 

“But you don’t even know the nature of it,” 
Captain Mahon protested. 

“That doesn’t matter, sir,” declared Dick. “I 
am sure you would ask nothing beyond our abil- 
ity to accomplish, and anything else we are ready 
to attempt.” 

“Good!” exclaimed Captain Mahon, slapping his 
knee with his right hand. “I like that. Now, 
then, to business.” 

He paused, and the lads saw that he was turning 
some matter over in his mind. 

“Have you ever been in a little town called Ron- 
essen?” he asked. 

Dick shook his head. 

“No, sir,” he replied, “but I know where it is. 
Forty-five or fifty miles from Pittsburgh on the 
Monongahela river, if I am not mistaken.” 

“Right,” said Captain Mahon. “To reach there 
it will be necessary to go to Pittsburgh and take an 
Erie train. The question is, do you care to go 
there?” 


122 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“If we can be of service, sir,” interposed Ralph. 

“Very well. Then I will outline the nature of 
my mission.” Again the captain paused a moment 
before continuing: “Information has come to me 
that the headquarters of the bank bandit gangs with 
whom you have already been mixed up is in Ron- 
essen. My information comes from a reliable 
source, but it is not absolutely authentic. What I 
want you boys to do is to go to Ronessen, look 
about, make careful inquiries and, if possible, verify 
this information. Do I make myself clear?” 

“Perfectly, sir,” declared Dick. 

“Very good. Now, we are aware of the identity 
of only four of the bandit gang. Of these, three 
have been accounted for. Tompkins and the man 
called Henry — last name unknown — are in jail. 
Smith is dead. That leaves only the man whose 
name you say is Allen. 

“Ronessen, as you are of course aware, is only 
a short automobile drive from McKeesport, where 
the bank robbery was staged yesterday. It is my 
belief that the bandits have found shelter in the 
little town. Of course, as I have implied, the only 
man you could possibly identify is Allen. You 
may see him there. If not, you will make guarded 
inquiries, taking care to throw no suspicion upon 
yourselves. Understand ?” 

“Yes, sir,” replied Ralph. 

“Very good. Now please remember that I want 


ON THE TRAIL 


123 


you to get into no danger. I do not believe that 
will be necessary. I am entrusting you with this 
mission because you have already proved your cour- 
age and discretion, and because I believe there is 
less likelihood of your being suspected than a man 
or men of more mature years. I can give you no 
instructions. You will have to use your own judg- 
ment. Are there any questions you would like to 
ask?” 

“I think not, sir,” said Dick. 

“All right.” 

Captain Mahon opened a drawer in his desk and 
produced two badges. He passed one to each lad. 

“These,” he said, “are badges of the Pennsyl- 
vania state constabulary. It is true that you are 
not members of the troop, but the badges may come 
in handy. I can promise you that you will not be 
prosecuted for impersonation of an officer. I would 
advice you to keep them out of sight, however.” 

“Very well, sir,” said both lads. 

“I guess that is all,” said Captain Mahon — “but 
wait. I’ll give you a note to Captain Mitchell of 
Troop L f who commands in the territory including 
Ronessen. It is possible you will find him there, 
but I would produce the letter only in a case of 
extremity.” 

The commander of Troop G turned to his desk 
and wrote rapidly. Then he passed a paper to 
Ralph, who was nearest him. 


124 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“There,” he said, “I guess that will do you.” 

Ralph thrust his badge into his trousers’ pocket, 
and the paper into his inside coat pocket. Dick 
also concealed his badge, and the lads rose, as did 
Captain Mahon. 

The troop commander extended a hand to each 
of the lads in turn and said: 

“Goodbye and good luck. Report to me at the 
earliest possible moment, and remember to keep out 
of trouble.” 

He accompanied them to the door of the build- 
ing, and watched them as they strode off down the 
street in the direction of the railroad station. 

“Two good boys,” he declared with a smile. 

Two hours later the boys found themselves in 
Harrisburg, where they learned it would be nec- 
essary to change trains; also that they would have 
to lay over an hour. 

“I’ve time to go home for a minute,” said Ralph. 
“I’ll explain to mother that I have a little business 
to transact for Captain Mahon.” 

“Won’t she object?” asked Dick. 

“I think not. Of course, I cannot reveal the na- 
ture of the business. Want to go with me?” 

“I guess not. Think I’ll go to the bank and draw 
a little money. We might need it.” 

“Good idea. I’ll get some from mother.” 

“All right. Then I’ll meet you here in fifty 
minutes.” 


ON THE TEAIL 


125 


The lads parted. 

Both were back within the stipulated time, how- 
ever, and found seats aboard the Pittsburgh ex- 
press just before it started. 

“Any trouble at home? ,, asked Dick. 

“Nope. Mother wanted to know what it was 
all about, but I told her I could not tell the secret, 
and she let it go at that. She trusts me, for- 
tunately. All she insisted upon, was that I keep 
out of trouble. ,, 

“I guess we won’t get into any trouble,” said 
Dick. 

“I guess not. I had almost hoped we would.” 

“That’s a pretty poor sort of a hope, if you ask 
me. We might not get out so easily next time.” 

“We’ve been pretty fortunate. I guess our luck 
will hold.” 

It was well along in the afternoon when the train 
pulled into Pittsburgh and the lads alighted. 

“I don’t believe it will be wise to continue to- 
night,” declared Dick. “We’ll land there about 
dark and will be stuck for the night. The hotel 
accommodations, if we find any at all, are sure 
to be bad. Besides, we won’t be able to give a 
satisfactory account of our presence if we have to.” 

“Maybe you’re right,” said Ralph. “Then we’ll 
go out to my uncle’s and spend the night, and get 
an early start in the morning.” 

And thus it was arranged. 


126 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


It was eight o’clock the following day when the 
two lads boarded a train in the Erie depot on the 
banks of the Monongahela river. They Were re- 
freshed after a good night’s sleep, provided with 
sufficient money for their needs, and ready for any 
eventuality. 

“It’s almost a two-hour run,” said Dick, as they 
settled back in their seats. 

“That will put us in at a reasonable hour,” re- 
plied Ralph. “By the way, how big is Ronessen 
anyhow ?” 

“Three or four thousand, I imagine,” returned 
Dick. “It’s more or less of a mining center, so 
we can expect to find some rough people there.” 

“Well, I guess they won’t bother us.” 

“Not unless we bother them,” replied Dick with 
a grin. 

“You know what Captain Mahon said about keep- 
ing out of trouble,” said Ralph, also smiling. 

“We’ll endeavor to follow instructions,” Dick 
declared. 

Half an hour later the train stopped in McKees- 
port and the lads craned their necks in an effort 
to see the bank which had been robbed two days 
before. 

“Can’t see it,” said Dick. 

“No,” rejoined Ralph, “and we haven’t time to 
get off and look.” 


ON THE TEAIL 


127 


'‘Guess not,” Dick agreed. “I would like to stop 
off and see Tom, though.” 

"So would I, but I’m afraid it’s impossible.” 

The train moved forward again. 

Mile after mile the train followed the winding 
course of the narrow Monongahela. 

Both lads were considerably interested in the 
scenery, for it was the first time they had traversed 
this route. 

"Pretty poor looking country, if you ask me,” 
declared Dick. 

"Rather,” Ralph agreed. "Don’t think I would 
want to live around here.” 

"Nor I; but I can see that it would make a pretty 
good place for a rendezvous for a band of bank 
robbers.” 

"By Jove! That’s so. Well, I hope we have 
some luck on this trip.” 

"So do I,” declared Dick, "and some way I be- 
lieve we shall.” 

"Hunch?” questioned Ralph with a grin. 

"Call it what you will. I just feel that way. 
That’s all.” 

Further conversation was precluded by the en- 
trance of a brakeman, who cried: 

"Ronessen !” 

"Well,” said Ralph, leading the way toward the 
door of the car, "here we are.” 


128 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Right,” said Dick, “ready for whatever fortune 
may bring forth. Let's get off.” 

The train stopped, the lads alighted and turned 
their faces toward the heart of the town. 


CHAPTER XVI. 

THE BOYS FIND A CLUE. 

It was a dingy little town upon which Dick and 
Ralph cast their eyes when they alighted from the 
train. Black coal dirt was everywhere, while most 
of the men they passed on their way from the sta- 
tion apparently were fresh from the mines, and 
equipped with safety lamps and lunch boxes. 

Ralph shuddered. 

“What a place to live,” he said. 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Dick replied. “There are 
probably plenty of nice homes near the edge of 
town. I have heard that this is rather a rich little 
village. 

“Well,” said Ralph, “we’re here. Now what are 
we going to do ?” 

“Suppose we find a directory and see if any of 
the names we are after are listed.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


129 


“We’ll probably find a hundred or so Smiths,” 
declared Ralph dryly. 

“That’s so, too. Guess we’d better pass him 
up. We’re not likely to find so many Tompkins 
however.” 

They entered a corner drugstore and found a di- 
rectory. Dick ran his finger down the page. 

“Only three named Tompkins,” he said. “I’ll 
take their addresses, and we’ll inquire the way to 
the three homes.” 

“What are you going to do there?” 

“Try to get a line on our friend Tompkins. It 
may be he has relatives here, and it doesn’t natur- 
ally follow that they would know he is a bank 
robber.” 

“But we don’t know his first name,” Ralph pro- 
tested. 

“We can describe him, can’t we?” 

“Of course; but — ” 

“Great Scott!” Dick ejaculated. “Don’t go look- 
ing for trouble! We may be on a blind trail, he 
may not be known here at all and we may en- 
counter many other difficulties ; but don’t go looking 
for ’em.” 

Ralph subsided. 

Outside the drugstore they came upon a police- 
man. 

“Probably the only one in town — chief and all,” 
was Ralph’s comment. 


130 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


From the officer they learned the direction to the 
home of William Tompkins and they bent their 
steps in that direction. A boy answered their 
knock at the door. Dick gave a description of the 
man he sought, but the boy was unable to identify 
him. 

“You might try Henry Tompkins on the next 
street, though,” he advised. 

Dick thanked the boy and acted upon his sug- 
gestion. 

“One chance gone,” said Ralph as they walked 
along. 

“Yes; but we still have two more,” replied Dick. 

At the second house it was a woman who an- 
swered their knock. 

“And you don’t know his first name ?” she asked. 

“No, ma’am,” replied Dick; “I don’t seem able 
to remember it?” 

“And what do you want with him ?” the woman 
demanded. 

“I’ve a message for him?” said Dick truthfully. 
He didn’t believe it necessary to add that the only 
message he would like to give Tompkins, whom 
he had last seen in jail in Harrisburg, was that the 
McKeesport bank robbery had failed. 

“From your description,” said the woman, “the 
man you seek might possibly be Jim Tompkins, a 
distant cousin of ours. He was in Johnstown the 
last time I heard of him.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


131 


Dick was elated, but he gave no sign. 

“It is possible he might be the man,” he agreed. 
“I understand the man I am seeking was in Johns- 
town recently. Has he any friends here of whom 
I might inquire his present whereabouts ?” 

The woman hesitated. 

“Well,” she said at last, “Jim Tompkins has a 
lot of queer friends. I don’t know much about 
them except that one is named Allen. I believe 
they’re a bad lot, in spite of the fact that Jim is 
distantly related to us. They sleep most all day, 
but I understand they hang out in Tobin’s pool- 
room on Main street most of the night.” 

“Thanks,” said Dick. “I shall inquire there.” 

“If you will take my advice,” said the woman 
earnestly, “you will have as little as possible to 
do with any of them.” 

Dick thanked her again. 

“I shall linger no longer than is necessary, I am 
sure,” he replied. 

He and Ralph lifted their caps, and took their 
departure. 

“By Jove ! We’ve struck a lead,” declared Ralph, 
when they were out of hearing. 

“Looks like it,” agreed Dick. 

“But why didn’t you enjoin the woman to si- 
lence?” demanded Ralph. “She is likely to spread 
word that someone is looking for Tompkins, and 
tip the others off.” 


132 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


"She would have been all the more certain to do 
so had I asked her to be silent,” was Dick’s reply* 

Ralph looked at his chum in surprise. 

"Why?” he demanded. 

Dick shrugged his shoulders. 

"I don’t know,” he replied; "and maybe I’m 
wrong; but I’m acting on Tom’s advice. I heard 
him say once that it was not wise in his business 
to let any man or woman think he or she was in 
a secret — that it would be a secret no longer.” 

"Maybe so,” said Ralph. "But what next?” 

"Tobin’s poolroom, I guess. Fortunately, we 
have both played on your uncle’s table, so we won’t 
look like novices. While there, we’ll make a few 
guarded inquiries. But we don’t want to stay any 
longer than necessary.” 

They stopped in a store, and were directed to the 
poolroom. A moment or so later they were deeply 
engrossed in a game, as though they had nothing 
else on their mind. 

Once the proprietor passed near, and Dick said: 

"Have you seen anything of Jim Tompkins 
lately?” 

The man looked at him sharply. 

"Why?” he demanded. 

"I’ve got a message for him,” said Dick quietly. 

"Well, he comes in some times in the evening,” 
said the proprietor. "If you’ll give me the mes- 
sage I’ll see that he gets it tonight.” 


ON THE TEAIL 


133 


Dick shook his head. 

“Can't do that," he replied. 

“Why?" 

“I was told not to." 

The poolroom proprietor considered the matter 
a moment. 

“I’ll tell you," he said at last, “some of his friends 
come here most every night. Chances are they’ll 
be in tonight. If you’re around I’ll point them out 
to you. Maybe you can give the message to one 
of them." 

“I can give it to Allen," said Dick, taking a shot 
at random. 

“Allen hasn’t been around lately," said the man. 
“Won’t any of the others do?" 

“Whom, for instance?" asked Dick. 

“Well, Larry Bannister.” 

Dick drew an envelope from his pocket, concealed 
the back of it carefully and appeared to read. 

“Bannister will do," he said. 

“All right. By the way, who is this message 
from ?" 

“It’s from Henry," said Dick, taking another long 
chance. 

“Oh !" exclaimed the poolroom proprietor. 

It was plain to Dick that he knew the man. 

“We’ll be back this evening, then," said Dick. 
“About what time?" 

Again the man considered. 


134 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Make it about nine o’clock,” he said at last. 

The two boys went on with their game as the 
man walked away. Fifteen minutes later they laid 
down their cues, paid for their game and went out. 

“Where to ?” asked Ralph. 

“I saw a small hotel down the street,” replied 
Dick. “We’ll go there and get a room. We’ll 
probably have to spend the night here, anyhow, and 
we can talk there without fear of being overheard.” 

Ralph considered this a good plan, and offered 
no objection. 

The hotel, though small, was clean and they were 
shown to a comfortable room. 

“Well,” said Dick, sinking into a chair after the 
clerk who had shown them up had left, “we seem 
to have fallen into a nest of them.” 

“It certainly looks that way,” Ralph agreed. 
“Now, take the proprietor of that poolroom. It 
wouldn’t surprise me a bit if he were a member of 
the gang himself.” 

“Nor me; in fact, I’m almost convinced that he 
is. He knows too much about the others for one 
who is not on intimate terms with them.” 

“Right. I wonder if he suspects us?” 

Dick shook his head. 

“I don’t believe so,” he replied. “My opinion is 
that they are alarmed at the long absence of Tomp- 
kins, who is in jail with Henry; Smith who is 
dead, and Allen, who apparently hasn’t returned. 


ON THE TEAIL 135 

I am sure he believes I am bringing a message from 
one of them.” 

“But we can’t keep up the deception very long,” 
declared Ralph. “What are we going to tell this 
man Bannister when we see him tonight?” 

Again Dick shrugged. 

“I don’t know yet,” he confessed, “but we’ll try 
and not give ourselves away.” 

“If we do,” said Ralph, “they won’t have much 
mercy on us, you may be sure of that.” 

“Well,” returned Dick, “we’re in the game. 
We’ll have to do the best we can.” 

“Oh, I guess we’ll come through all right.” 

“Of course we shall. I don’t know whether 
there are any state troopers in town or not, but 
I’d rather not appeal for help unless it’s absolutely 
necessary.” 

“I agree with you there. It will be a feather in 
our caps if we can get the real dope and turn it 
over to Captain Mahon.” 

“I wasn’t thinking so much about that,” Dick 
declared. “My reason is that I don’t want to be 
seen talking to a trooper. We don’t know who 
may be implicated with this gang and somebody 
might tip them off to the fact that we are alto- 
gether too frienly with a member of the constab- 
ulary.” 

“I hadn’t though of that,” Ralph admitted. 

“No,” Dick continued, “the best thing we can 


136 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


do now is remain quietly in the hotel, and return 
to the poolroom at the appointed hour.” 

And this was the program the lads followed. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

THE RENDEZVOUS. 

It lacked only a few minutes of nine when Dick 
and Ralph entered the poolroom that night. The 
proprietor greeted them with a smile. 

“Not here yet,” he said. “Have a table at the 
other end of the room and play a game on the house. 
Bannister should be here within half an hour with 
some of the others.” 

The lads deemed it wise to fall in with the pro- 
prietor's suggestion, so they were soon, interested 
in their game in spite of the exciting situation in 
which they found themselves. 

From time to time men left or entered the pool- 
room, and Dick frequently gazed toward the pro- 
prietor with an inquiring glance; and each time the 
latter shook his head. 

The lads had been playing perhaps fifteen min- 
utes, when three men entered the poolroom to- 
gether and engaged the proprietor in conversation. 


ON THE TRAIL 137 

The latter nodded to Ralph and Dick, and the lads 
laid down their cues and approached. 

“This,” said the proprietor, whose name Dick 
learned was Martin, “is Bannister,” and he nodded 
toward a man of about thirty years, who stood 
nearest the door. 

“Yes, I’m Bannister,” the man admitted. “I 
understand you have a message for me?” 

“If you’re Bannister I have,” said Dick, “but how 
can I be sure of your identity?” 

“You might ask any man in the room who I am,” 
replied Bannister with a grin. “I guess they all 
know me.” 

Dick hesitated a moment, apparently turning the 
matter over in his mind. 

“I guess it’s all right,” he said at last. He 
looked around the room furtively. “Is it all right 
to talk here?” he asked. 

Bannister nodded. 

“Safe as a church,” he replied. “Give me the 
message.” 

“It’s verbal,” said Dick. “Henry couldn’t give 
it to me in writing.” 

“All right,” said Bannister impatiently, “tell 
me then.” 

“Henry,” said Dick, “is in jail in Harrisburg.” 

What!” exclaimed Bannister starting back. 
“It’s true,” said Dick. “He was arrested several 
days ago.” 


138 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“What’s he charged with?” demanded Bannister, 
motioning the others to be silent. 

“Charged with being implicated in a bank rob- 
bery in Johnstown,” replied Dick. 

“And how do you know all this?” demanded 
Bannister suspiciously. y 

“I was in police headquarters when they brought 
him in.” 

“You were, eh? Why?” 

It was here that Dick found it necessary to draw 
upon his imagination, but he was convinced that 
the means would justify the end. 

“I was there to get my brother out,” he replied. 
“For a few seconds I was close to Henry, and he 
whispered to me. He gave me the names of Tomp- 
kins, Smith and Bannister in addition to Allen. I 
was to find you and give you his message.” 

Bannister drew a breath of relief. Apparently 
his suspicions, if he had any, had vanished. 

“And what’s the message?” he asked. 

“The message,” said Dick, “was to go slow with 
any more jobs, and to get him out of jail.” 

“What kind of jobs?” demanded Bannister, and 
Dick knew the man was trying to find out how much 
he knew. 

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Now, I’ve deliv- 
ered the message. Henry said you would return 
our railroad fare and give us something for our 
trouble.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


139 


“He did, did he? Well, you boys have done 
well. I guess that is no more than right. Will 
fifty dollars cover your expenses and be pay 
enough.” 

Dick stimulated surprise. 

“Oh, yes indeed,” he replied. “We didn’t ex- 
pect any such sum as that.” 

“You’ve earned it,” said Bannister, and produced 
some bills, which he passed to Dick. “And what 
are you going to do now ?” 

“Go home as soon as we can,” Dick replied, “but 
I don’t suppose we can get a train till morning.” 

“You can’t,” said Bannister. “You’d better go 
to the hotel. I’d advise you, however, to go first 
thing in the morning. You are both too young to 
be running around the country by yourselves.” 

After some further conversation, Dick and Ralph 
left the poolroom. 

“That was some tale you concocted, if you ask 
me,” declared Ralph admiringly as they walked 
along. “I don’t know how you did it.” 

“I had to think of something,” said Dick. 

“Well, you though of a whole lot, but I don’t 
see what you have gained by it.” 

“We’ve simply verified the fact that Bannister, 
Martin and the others are members of the gang,” 
said Dick. “That strikes me as a good deal.” 

“That’s so, too,” Ralph admitted, “but — ” 

“And the next thing to do,” continued Dick, un- 


140 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


heeding the interruption, “is to trail them to their 
rendezvous. Before we could do that we had to 
know who they were.” 

“By Jove! My mind doesn’t seem to be work- 
ing very well,” declared Ralph. 

A block from the poolroom the lads halted. Dick 
took his bearings and stepped into a dark doorway, 
pulling his chum after him. 

“They’re almost sure to come this way,” he said. 
“When they pass we’ll go after them.” 

The lads took turns peering from the doorway. 
Half an hour passed — an hour, and still the men 
did not emerge from the poolroom. 

“Maybe they went out another way,” suggested 
Ralph. 

“Don’t think so,” returned Dick. “I didn’t see 
another door.” 

“Then maybe we didn’t see them when they came 
out.” 

“I think they’re still there, all right,” said Dick. 
“We’ll wait awhile longer.” 

The time passed slowly, but at last the lad’s pa- 
tience was rewarded. 

Three figures appeared in the doorway of the 
poolroom and headed toward the place were the 
boys were concealed. The latter shrank as far back 
as possible in the dark doorway, and knelt on the 
floor. 

Bannister and two companions brushed by with- 


ON THE TRAIL 


141 


out seeing them. Immediately the lads got to their 
feet. Dick peered after the trio. 

The three men turned north at the first corner. 
Dick and Ralph at once left their place of conceal- 
ment and headed after them. At the corner Ralph 
peered round cautiously. The men were some dis- 
tance away. 

Dick and Ralph advanced into the open and fol- 
lowed them. 

Straight toward the railroad tracks Bannister led 
the way. Dick drew close to Ralph. 

“Maybe they’re going to take a train,” he said. 

“Bannister said there wasn’t another train to- 
night,” Ralph replied. 

“So he did,” Dick said. “I had forgotten. Won- 
der where they are going?” 

“Probably have a rendezvous near the tracks,” 
returned Ralph. 

The lad proved a good guesser. 

Across the tracks the boys followed the men 
ahead. There, Bannister in the lead, the quarry 
turned to the left, continuing a hundred yards down 
the track, where they turned right again. 

In the darkness, Dick and Ralph could make out 
the dim outlines of what appeared to be a small 
shack. The lads stopped when it became apparent 
that the shack was Bannister’s destination. 

“There’s where they hold forth, at any rate,” 
whispered Dick. “We’ve trailed them to their lair. 


142 THE BOY TROOPERS 

now all that is left for us to do is notify Captain 
Mahon.” 

“Maybe we can hear What they are saying if we 
get close enough,” Ralph suggested. 

Dick hesitated. 

“It’s dangerous,” he said at length. 

“Pooh! What of it?” demanded Ralph. “Be- 
sides, since when did you grow so cautious?” 

“Have it your own way then,” returned Dick 
with a grin. “But don’t blame me if we get into 
trouble.” 

“I’ll take the blame,” declared Ralph. 

The two boys advanced cautiously until they 
were right up against the shack. They listened 
intently, and through the thin partition could dimly 
hear the sound of voices within. The words, how- 
ever, were unintelligible. 

“Can’t hear what they are talking about,” whis- 
pered Ralph. “We’ll have to do better than this.” 

Without asking Dick’s advice, he tip-toed for- 
ward and laid a hand on the knob of the closed 
door. This he turned gently, and as gently pressed 
against the door. It moved inward without a 
sound. 

Ralph did not advance across the threshholcL 
Such had not been his intention. He stepped back 
to Dick’s side, and again the lads listened. 

The voices from within came more plainly to 


ON THE TRAIL 143 

their ears, and they could make out the nature of 
the conversation. 

“I tell you, Bannister,” said a voice, “I don’t 
altogether trust those boys.” 

“Pshaw,” returned Bannister, “they’re honest 
enough. What would be their idea in coming here 
if Henry didn’t send them?” 

“Maybe the authorities sent them,” said another 
voice. 

“They are too young for that,” Bannister de- 
clared. 

“Maybe so; but I tell you I don’t feel just right 
about it. There is something wrong all around. 
Why didn’t Allen return after that McKeesport 
job? And the others? They haven’t been cap- 
tured or we should have heard of it. 

“It is strange,” Bannister admitted. 

“Then, too,” went on the other, “where are Smith 
and Tompkins? These boys say Henry is in jail. 
Maybe Tompkins and Smith are there, too — or 
maybe they have been shot.” 

“Maybe — maybe — ” taunted Bannister. “Maybe 
we’re all in jail, and don’t know it. I tell you the 
thing to do is go to Harrisburg and find out. At 
least some of us should go.” 

“And walk into a trap,” said another voice. 

“Perhaps,” said Bannister. “It’s a chance we 
must take. I’ll go, if you fellows are afraid.” 


144 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“It isn’t that,” said the man who had protested. 
“I just want to be on the safe side.” 

“At all events, there is nothing to be done to- 
night,” said Bannister. “Let’s move.” 

There was a chorus of agreement. Footsteps 
moved toward the door. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

RALPH IN TROUBLE. 

We’ve better be moving from here,” said Ralph 
in a hoarse whisper. 

Dick did not take the trouble to reply. Instead, 
he started toward the railroad tracks at a run, Ralph 
close behind him. Both lads knew that discovery 
at this time might prove dangerous, so they made 
every effort to get out of sight before Bannister and 
his friends emerged from the shack. 

But in this attempt their efforts were futile. 

Bannister emerged first. A hundred yards away, 
as he glanced toward the railroad tracks, he saw 
two figures scurrying for shelter. With a shout 
to his companions, Bannister made after them. 

Bannister’s shout told Dick and Ralph that they 
had been discovered, and each lad realized that it 
behooved him to put his best foot farward. 


ON THE TRAIL 


145 


They increased their pace. 

Now, Dick was a faster runner than Ralph and 
he found it necessary to slow down a bit so that 
his chum might catch up with him. 

“Don’t wait for me, Dick,” gasped Ralph as he 
ran along. 

“Nonsense,” replied Dick. “We’ll have to stay 
together.” 

Ralph renewed his efforts. Behind them the lads 
could hear the sound of pursuing footsteps, which 
seemed to grow louder, indicating that the pursuers 
were gaining. 

The boys crossed the railroad tracks and darted 
up the street just beyond, heading for their little 
hotel. Once inside, they felt, they would be safe, 
for it did not occur to either that Bannister and 
his friends would have the temerity to pursue them 
within. 

Dick, glancing over his shoulder, saw that Ban- 
nister and his two companions indeed had gained. 
They were less than seventy five yards behind. 
Dick took Ralph by the arm and endeavored to help 
him along. 

The lads could now make out their hotel in the 
distance, and this stirred Ralph to greater efforts. 
He sprinted, and for a few seconds was ahead of 
Dick. The latter soon came up with him, however, 
and they continued the race side by side. 

The lads reached the hotel with their pursuers 


146 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


less than fifty yards behind. Inside they dashed 
and headed straight for the desk, where the night 
clerk, a young fellow, was leaning. Beside the 
desk they sank into chairs. 

“Breathe easily if you can,” Dick warned Ralph. 
“We may escape suspicion after all.” 

Hardly were the words out of his mouth when 
Bannister dashed into- the lobby, followed by his 
two companions. Dick and Ralph arose to their 
feet. Bannister stopped in his tracks and surveyed 
the scene. 

“Come here,” he said, motioning to the lads. 

Dick and Ralph obeyed. Bannister scrutinized 
them carefully. 

“What were you doing along the railroad tracks 
a few moments ago?” he asked. 

“Railroad tracks?” exclaimed Dick in surprise. 
“What do you mean?” 

Bannister took Dick by the arm. 

“You know what I mean,” he replied. “Come, 
tell me what you were doing there.” 

Dick shook his head in well simulated surprise. 

“It's too much for me,” he said. “Ralph and I 
have been sitting here for the last hour, so we 
couldn’t have been near the railroad tracks.” 

The night clerk had been an interested listener. 
He had scowled slightly as Bannister and his 
friends entered the hotel, which would have told a 
close observer he had not much use for the trio. 


ON THE TEAIL 147 

This fact was to prove fortunate for Dick and 
Ralph. 

Bannister wheeled on the clerk. 

“How long have these boys been here?” he de- 
manded. 

“I should say fully an hour,” replied the clerk. 

Dick turned to Bannister. 

“That’s what I said,” he declared. 

Bannister seemed to breathe easier. 

“Tell me,” he said, “what happened to the two 
men who dashed in here a moment ago.” 

Here, to Dick’s relief, the clerk interferred again. 

“They went through the back hall and probably 
out into the alley,” he said. 

Bannister considered the situation a moment. 
Then he motioned to his companions. 

“You go after them, he said at last. “Maybe 
you can pick up the trail. I’ll stay here until you 
come back.” 

The men followed instructions. 

“Now,” said Bannister, motioning Dick and 
Ralph to seats and taking a chair himself, “I want 
to say that I’m not convinced you are telling the 
truth.” 

“But the night clerk — ” Ralph began. 

Bannister snapped his fingers. 

“That for the night clerk,” he replied. “He’s 
no friend of mine, and might go out of his way 
to make trouble for me. He may be lying, too. 


148 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


However, I can afford to take no chances. We’ll 
wait here until my men return. Then I’ll decide 
what to do.” 

They had not long to wait. Ten minutes later 
Bannister’s companions returned. 

“What luck?” demanded Bannister getting to 
his feet. 

“None,” said one of the others, with a shake of 
his head. “We couldn’t see a soul.” 

Bannister nodded. Then he addressed Dick and 
Ralph again. 

“You may be telling the truth,” he said, “but, 
as I said before, I cannot afford to take chances. 
Just to make sure of you, I have decided to take 
one of you along with me for safe keeping.” 

Dick and Ralph started to their feet in alarm. 

“What do you mean?” demanded Ralph. 

“Why,” said Bannister, “I shall hold one of you 
as a hostage. You’ve told me you were going 
home in the morning. That program need not be 
changed for one of you; but the other shall stay 
here with me. I’ll take him to Harrisburg in a day 
or two.” 

“But — ” began Dick. 

Bannister raised a hand. 

“Argument will do no good,” he said. “I am 
in authority here. Which one of you will go with 
me?” 


ON THE TRAIL 149 

“Well,” said Dick, “if it comes to that I’ll go, of 
course.” 

“No, Dick, let me go,” Ralph protested. 

“Not much. I—” 

“Come, come,” said Bannister. “I have no time 
for this foolishness. However, I’ll give you both 
a sporting chance.” 

He produced a half dollar. 

“I’ll spin this,” he said. “One of you call heads, 
the other tails. The one who calls the coin cor- 
rectly has the choice of going or staying.” 

He spun the coin, caught it as it came down and 
covered it with his hand. 

“Well?” he demanded. 

“Heads,” said Ralph. 

“Tails,” said Dick. 

Bannister uncovered the coin. 

“Heads it is,” he announced. Then, turning to 
Ralph, “Well, will you go or stay?” 

“I’ll stay,” Ralph decided promptly. 

“Very well,” said Bannister. Then to Dick. 
“Your friend will be perfectly safe with me, pro- 
viding I find everything is all right. I figure to 
go to Harrisburg in behalf of Henry day after to- 
morrow. I shall bring your friend with me. But 
if I should walk into a trap — ” 

He broke off, but his silence was more expressive 
than words. 


150 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Ralph,” said Dick, “won’t you change ybur 
mind and let me go with Bannister instead.” 

Ralph shook his head. 

“Come, young one,” said Bannister. “I can 
wait no longer.” 

Dick and Ralph shook hands. 

“Don’t worry,” Ralph urged. “Everything will 
turn out all right.” 

He preceded Bannister and the others through 
the door, while behind Dick sank down in his chair 
in despair. He was still there when the night 
clerk, who introduced himself as Harry Dooley, sat 
down beside him. 

“Tell me. What’s all this about?” he demanded. 
“Maybe I can help.” 

The young man’s voice was so kind, and his face 
so honest, that Dick did not think he would do 
wrong to confide in him. Accordingly, he told him 
everything. 

“By Jove! You’re pretty young, both of you, 
for this sort of work,” he declared. “But have no 
fear, your secret is safe with me. I shall help you 
if I can. Now what are your plans? Will you 
go home in the morning and leave your friend 
here ?” 

“I believe it would be best,” Dick declared. “I 
can arrange such a reception for Bannister and his 
friends when he gets there that he’ll wish he had 
not come. Besides, if he keeps his word and brings 


ON THE TRAIL 


151 


Ralph with him, there will be no danger for Ralph.” 

“I guess you are right,” agreed Dooley. “If 
you stay here, Bannister would know it and it 
would only add to his suspicions. No, you had 
better go. In the meantime, I will endeavor to 
keep an eye on Bannister and I will keep you posted 
by wire. How is that?” 

“Immense !” cried Dick, springing to his feet and 
grasping Dooley’s hand. “I’ll go directly to Cap- 
tain Mahon and outline the situation. He will 
know what steps to take to intercept Bannister and 
his crowd and rescue Ralph.” 

“Exactly,” the night clerk agreed. “Now you 
go upstairs and get a good sleep. I’ll call you in 
time to catch the first train.” 

Dick followed instructions, and in spite of his 
uneasiness, soon was fast asleep. 

It seemed that he had hardly closed his eyes 
when he was awakened by a rapping on his door. 

“Who is it?” he demanded sleepily, as soon as 
he could collect his thoughts. 

“Dooley,” was the reply. “Time to get up or 
you’ll miss your train.” 

Dick dressed hurriedly and descended to the 
lobby. A glance at his watch showed him it was 
five o’clock. Dooley greeted him when he came 
down. 

“You won’t have time to eat till you get to Pitts- 
burgh,” he said. “Now don’t worry. Everything 


152 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


will be all right. I’ll wire you care of Captain 
Mahon, as I promised.” 

They shook hands and Dick hustled for his train. 


CHAPTER XIX. 

RALPH ESCAPES. 

Ralph, when he left Dick, went with his captors 
"without a word. Nor did Bannister, or his com- 
panions address him. 

As Ralph had expected, Bannister led the way 
back to the shack along the railroad track where 
he and Dick so recently had overheard the conver- 
sation of the bandits. Inside, Bannister struck a 
match and lighted a lamp. 

Ralph made out that the shack was furnished with 
a single table, half a dozen chairs and two dilapi- 
dated sofas. 

“This will be your prison until I get ready to 
leave Ronessen,” said Bannister. “You will al- 
ways be under guard, and will not be permitted to 
leave the shack. Meals will be brought to you, but 
they will be light. You’ll have to satisfy your ap- 
petite on sandwiches and the like. That’s the best 
you’ll get.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


153 


“All right,” said Ralph, “but when do you ex- 
pect to leave? How long must I remain here?” 

“No longer than I can help,” replied Bannister, 
answering the lad’s last question-. “I want to leave 
here day after tomorrow. You will have to put 
up with my hospitality until then.” He turned to 
one of his companions. “Timmons,” he said, “it’s 
up to you to stand guard tonight. Hill will re- 
lieve you in the morning, and I shall spend tomor- 
row night here myself.” 

There were no objections on the part of the 
others, so after some further words, Bannister and 
Hill left. 

Timmons, once the others had gone, motioned 
Ralph toward a sofa. 

“There’s you’re bunk,” he said. “I’ll sleep on 
the other one. But listen, youngster! No monkey 
business. The door is locked and I’m a light 
sleeper. If you try to get away I’ll have to punish 
you.” 

Ralph made no reply. Instead he threw himself 
on his bunk. Timmons blew out the light, and 
also sought his bed. 

For at least an hour Ralph lay in the darkness 
turning the events of the past twenty-four hours 
over in his mind. He reflected upon the possibility 
of escape. After some consideration, he put such 
thoughts aside for the moment. He knew that even 
should he elude Timmons and get out of the shack, 


154 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


he could not leave Ronessen until morning; and 
there was always the possibility that he would be 
re-captured before he could catch a train. 

He closed his eyes, and finally slept. 

Timmons was astir when Ralph opened his eyes 
in the morning. 

“I wish Hill would hurry and get here,” Tim- 
mons complained. ‘‘I’ve got to see a man at ten 
o’clock.” 

Nine o’clock came and still no signs of Hill. 

“I can’t stay here much longer,” said Timmons 
with an imprecation. “I’ll wait until nine-thirty, 
and if he’s not here then I’ll lock you in and go out 
anyhow.” 

Ralph, noting the single window in the room, 
hoped that Hill would not arrive in time. 

But in this the lad was doomed to disappoint- 
i lent. 

At nine twenty-five there was a rap on the door. 
Timmons unlocked it and Hill entered. 

“I’m a little late,” he apologized, “I — ” 

“You bet you’re late,” declared Timmons an- 
grily. “I’m afraid I’m late for an appointment 
now.” 

“Well, I couldn’t help it,” said Hill. 

“Maybe not; but that doesn’t alter the fact that 
I’m late.” 

He went out and slammed the door. Hill locked 
it after him. 


ON THE TRAIL 


155 


Now Hill, Ralph soon found, was a more pleas- 
ant companion than Timmons, and presently he 
produced a small package from his pocket. 

“Sandwiches,” he said, laying the package on the 
table, “four of ’em. Thought you might be 
hungry.” 

“Thanks,” said Ralph. “I am.” 

He untied the package and proceeded to devour 
the sandwiches. His thirst he quenched from a 
bucket of water that sat on the table. 

“Water’s about gone. We’ll have to have some 
more,” he said. 

Hill eyed him quizically. 

“Want me to let you go after it, eh?” he said 
with a grin. 

Ralph returned the grin. 

“Wouldn’t be a bad idea,” he said. “I’ll give 
you my word that I’ll come back.” 

“No,” said Hill after a pause, “I guess not. I’ll 
get the water myself. There’s a spring fifty yards 
from the shack. Don’t try any foolishness while 
I’m gone. I’ve got a gun here and I’m a pretty 
fair shot. I can see the door and the windpw 
from the spring. ' 

He picked up the bucket, unlocked the door and 
went out. 

Ralph was sorely tempted to ignore Hill’s in- 
junction and to make a break for liberty through' 


156 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


the window. From his pocket he produced his re- 
volver and examined it carefully. It was loaded. 

“Glad I’m so young- they didn’t think it neces- 
sary to search me,” he muttered. “Wonder if I 
hadn’t better hold Hill up when he comes back ?” 

But he discarded the idea. Ralph was still only 
a boy and as such he was naturally fearful of a 
man of mature years. It would take something in 
the nature of danger to stir him to action. 

Hill returned a few moments later with the 
bucket of water. 

“See you didn’t try to escape,” he grinned. 

“What was the use,” demanded Ralph. “You 
said you had a gun, didn’t you?” 

“I did,” Hill agreed, “but the fact is I was lying.” 

Ralph smiled. 

“Oh,” said Ralph, crestfallen, “I didn’t think of 
that.” 

“I didn’t figure you would,” said Hill. 

The day passed slowly, but at length darkness 
fell and Bannister appeared. Ralph noticed that 
there was something wrong with the man the min- 
ute he entered tire room, but it needed a whispered 
word from Hill to tell him what was the matter. 

“He’s been drinking,” said Hill under his 
breath. “He’s evil tempered when under the in- 
fluence of liquor. Be careful and don’t cross him.” 

“Well, Hill,” said Bannister. “Did the pris- 
oner behave himself today?” 


ON THE TRAIL 


157 


“Yes,” said Hill. 

“Very well. You may go now. “I’ll stand guard 
tonight. I want to catch an early train in the 
morning and will take the prisoner with me. You 
report to Timmons. He has instructions as to 
where to meet me. By the way, I had a wire from 
Allen. He's heading for Harrisburg. We’ll all 
be there tomorrow night.” 

Hill departed, and Bannister turned to Ralph. 

“You roll into bed there,” Bannister ordered. 

From his pocket he produced a bottle, the con- 
tents of which Ralph knew to be whiskey. Ralph, 
from his sofa, watched the man as he sat there, at 
the table, head in hands, from time to time taking 
a drink from the bottle. 

Suddenly Bannister rose and approached Ralph. 

“Boy,” he said, “I want you to tell me the truth 
about your trip to Ronessen.” 

“I have told you,” declared Ralph. 

“And I believe you have lied. Now I want the 
truth, or I’ll choke it out of you.” 

He leaned over Ralph, and there was something 
menacing in his attitude that Ralph cowered 
back. 

With one hand Bannister jerked him from the 
sofa and to his feet. Then, with doubled fist and 
angry countenance, he ordered : 

“Come, now, the truth.” 

For an instant Ralph considered what to do. He 


158 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


knew that, under the influence of liquor as he was, 
Bannister was not responsible for his actions. 

Bannister drew back his fist. 

On that instant Ralph acted. 

His hand went to his pocket and he produced his 
weapon. Moving back a step, he covered Ban- 
nister. 

“One step toward me and you’re a dead man,” 
Ralph said calmly. 

Forgotten now was all his fear of a man, just 
because he was a man. He knew that he held a 
weapon with which to protect himself, and he was 
determined to do so. 

Bannister, at sight of the revolver, stepped back 
quickly, but his fear was only momentary. 

“Put down that gun,” he said quietly, and Ralph 
knew that sight of the weapon had sobered him up. 

But now, with the issue squarely drawn, Ralph 
determined not to delinquish his advantage. 

“I mean what I say,” he declared. “One step 
forward and I fire.” 

“And once more I tell you to drop that gun,” 
said Bannister. 

This time Ralph made no response, but he stood 
his ground. 

For a moment Bannister hesitated, then he 
sprang forward. 

“Crack!” 


ON THE TRAIL 159 

Ralph pressed the trigger and dodged to one 
side. 

Bannister staggerer, but he turned in his tracks 
and again advanced. 

Again Ralph pressed the trigger. Bannister 
threw up his arms, spun around on his heels and 
then crashed to the floor, overturning the table in 
his fall. 

The room was shrouded in darkness. 

For a moment Ralph stood nonpulsed at the re- 
sult of his shooting. Then he realized that he must 
get out of the shack. 

He groped his way across the floor until his hand 
touched Bannister’s fallen body. He explored the 
pockets, and at last got to his feet with the key to 
the door in his hand. 

“The quicker I get out of here the better/’ he 
told himself. 

He unlocked the door with a trembling hand and 
passed out into the cool evening. Without looking 
back, he headed quickly for the railroad station. 

He found the agent just about to close the 
station. 

“No more trains until morning/’ said that 
worthy. 

“Great Scott! I can’t hang around here/’ he 
said. 

He walked to the street. From a passing pedes- 
trian he learned the way to the Pittsburgh road. 


160 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“I’ll walk till morning,” he said, and started off 
in the darkness. 


CHAPTER XX. 

DICK MAKES HIS REPORT. 

Dick's return trip to Lancaster was made with- 
out incident. Captain Mahon was out when the 
lad reached his office, so Dick cooled his heels im- 
patiently in the ante-room until the commander of 
Troop G arrived. 

“Well,” said Captain Mahon, after motioning 
the lad to a seat near his big desk, “I hope you had 
good luck.” 

“Some good luck and some bad luck as well,” 
was Dick’s reply. 

“Explain,” said Captain Mahon shortly. 

Dick did so, and the Captain listened intently, 
until he had concluded. 

“You were a bit rash,” he said. “You should 
have been satisfied with learning that the head- 
quarters of the bandit gang really is in Ronessen. 
I would have taken care of the rest. However, 
you have done good work. I have no doubt that 
this man Bannister will carry out his intention of 
going to Harrisburg, and he will as surely bring 


ON THE TRAIL 


161 


Ralph with him. We shall have to lay our plans 
to trap them when they get there.” 

“Then you don’t think they’ll harm Ralph, sir?” 
Dick asked. 

“No. He is of more value to them with a whole 
skin. You say they will reach Harrisburg to- 
morrow?” 

“So Bannister said.” 

“Then we must be prepared. Now, I take it 
that you wish to see this thing through?” 

“Of course, sir. 

“Very well. Report to me at seven o’clock this 
evening and I shall have further instructions for 
you.” 

With this Dick was forced to be content. He left 
troop headquarters and spent the afternoon in the 
moving picture theaters. At six he dined in a 
small restaurant, and promptly at seven reported 
again to Captain Mahon. 

“Punctual again, I see,” said that worthy. “It 
is well. Have a seat.” 

Dick did so, and for some moments Captain 
Mahon was busy at his desk. Then, raising his 
voice, he called: 

“Martin !” 

A young man in regulation constabulary attire 
responded to the summons. 

“Martin,” said Captain Mahon, “this,” indicat- 
ing Dick, “is Richard Hazelton, brother of Tom 


162 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Hazelton, of the force. He is the boy I spoke to 
you about this afternoon. He will go with you to 
Harrisburg tonight. You will find he is a lad of 
discretion as well as resourcefulness and valor. He 
may be able to furnish you with some valuable tips.” 

Dick and Martin shook hands. 

“Glad to meet you, I’m sure,” said the trooper. 

“Thanks; I’m glad to meet you, too,” Dick 
replied. 

“Anything further, captain?” asked Martin. 

“No,” was the reply. “I gave you all necessary 
instructions this afternoon.” 

Martin saluted, Dick said goodbye to Captain 
Mahon and the two left the room. 

“We’ll pick up the others at the train,” said 
Martin to Dick as they went down the steps to the 
sidewalk. 

“Others?” said Dick inquiringly. 

“Yes; you didn’t think we were going to tackle 
this job alone, did you?” 

“I didn’t know,” returned Dick. “There are 
probably other troopers in Harrisburg.” 

“There’ll be enough on hand this time to take 
care of the gang,” declared Martin. “I don’t in- 
tend to let a man get away.” 

Dick made no reply, but muttered to himself : 

“Pretty cocky, this fellow. Must be young at 
the game. I wish Tom were here.” 


ON THE TRAIL 163 

This put him in mind of something else, so he 
asked : 

“Have you heard anything of my brother — how 
he is getting along ?” 

“Yes; Heard Captain Mahon say today that he 
was progressing favorably.’' 

“I’m glad of that,” declared Dick. 

By this time they had reached the station, and 
Dick made out fully a dozen other members of the 
constabulary loitering about. These came forward 
when they saw Martin, and the latter addressed 
them. 

“We’ll split up,” he said. “When we get to 
Harrisburg, we’ll put up at the Columbus. Look 
up my room, all of you, and report to me tonight 
at eleven o’clock.” 

The troopers scattered. 

Dick remained close to Martin, and took a seat 
with him aboard the train. Dick said little during 
the trip, for he saw that Martin did not wish to be 
disturbed. 

“Probably cooking up a reception for the ban- 
dits,” the lad told himself. 

Arriving in Harrisburg, the two went directly to 
the Columbus hotel, where, at Martin’s suggestion, 
they took separate rooms. 

“But I could just as well go home,” said Dick. 

“Guess you’d better stay at the hotel,” replied 
Martin. “I might need you in a hurry, you know/' 


164 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“That's true," Dick agreed, and said no more. 

In the lobby of the hotel they separated. 

“I won't need you tonight," Martin declared. 
“However, I suppose you'll be in your room?" 

Dick nodded. 

“Thought I’d step out and get a bite to eat, and 
possibly walk around for an hour, though," he said. 
“That is, if you have no objections." 

“I guess it will be all right," said Martin hesi- 
tatingly. 

Dick waited for no more. He turned on his 
heel and left the hotel. On Market street he found 
a little restaurant conducted by two brothers who 
were Greeks. Both these he knew well, having 
been a frequent patron of the place. 

“I'm pretty hungry, Anthony," he said, as he 
sat down at a small table. “Fix me up something 
nice, won't you?" 

Anthony smiled and hurried away. 

Half an hour later the lad left the restaurant. 
He strolled about the streets for perhaps an hour, 
then returned to the hotel and went directly to his 
room which was next to that occupied by Martin. 

As he passed the latter's door, he saw a light 
streaming through the transom and caught the 
sound of voices within. 

“Guess he's giving instructions for tomorrow to 
his men," the lad muttered. “Well, I’m not going 


ON THE TRAIL 165 

to say anything, but I don't think a whole lot of 
that fellow." 

He entered his room and went immediately to 
bed. 

It was broad daylight when he awoke. Spring- 
ing out of bed, he looked at his watch. 

“Eight o'clock," he exclaimed. “Wonder if the 
others are astir yet?" 

He dressed quickly. Passing into the hall, he 
knocked at Martin’s door. 

“Who is it?" came the query in a sleepy voice. 

“Hazelton. Thought maybe I'd overslept. Will 
you be out soon?" 

“No reason for getting up yet," said Martin. 
“I'll meet you downstairs at ten o’clock." 

Dick made no reply but walked away muttering 
to himself. 

“They used to tell me that the early bird catches 
the worm," he said. “This fellow Martin is just 
as likely to let the bandits slip through his fingers 
as not." 

Nevertheless, he was in the lobby at ten o’clock. 
Martin appeared half an hour later. 

“Had breakfast ?” he asked of Dick. 

“Yes," was Dick's reply. 

“Well, I'm infernally hungry," said Martin. 
“Come into the dining room with me while I have 
breakfast." 

There was nothing for Dick to do but obey. 


166 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Martin ate deliberately, a morning paper spread 
out in front of him. 

“Wonder what he wants me here for?” Dick mut- 
tered. “He hasn’t said a word since we sat down.” 

At last Martin rose, paid his check and with 
Dick at his side returned to the lobby, where he 
sat down. 

“Don’t you think we had better get down to the 
station?” Dick found courage to ask at length. 
“Those fellows are likely to come in, and we’ll miss 
them.” 

“Now don’t get worried, youngster,” Martin ad- 
vised. “My men are on the job. They’ll pick up 
any suspicious looking characters.” 

“Yes, but they won’t know Bannister when they 
see him,” Dick declared. “Nor will they know the 
others. Besides, none of them would answer to 
the description of being suspicious looking charac- 
ters. I thought Captain Mahon sent me along to 
pick them out for you.” 

“Maybe you thought too much,” said Martin, 
plainly nettled. 

“Maybe I did,” said Dick angrily. “I don’t 
want to question your plan of action, but it seems 
to me we should be doing something.” 

“I tell you there’s no hurry,” Martin protested. 
“Those fellows can’t possibly reach Harrisburg be- 
fore noon if they left Ronessen this morning.” 

“Maybe they left last night,” said Dick. 


ON THE TRAIL 167 

“But there is no train out of Ronessen after six 
o’clock.” 

“There are automobiles.” 

“Maybe so; still, I’m of the opinion that we 
should be on the lookout.” 

Martin made no reply, but continued to scan his 
newspaper. It was after half past eleven o’clock, 
when he arose and signified that he was ready to 
move. 

“By George! Its about time,” declared Dick to 
himself, for he had been fidgeting uneasily in his 
seat. 

He followed Martin out the door of the hotel and 
down Third street to Market, where they headed 
toward the station. 

“We’ll get there in time, son,” said Martin. 

“I hope so,” said Dick. “I’m uneasy about my 
chum. If he — ” 

He broke off suddenly with a startled excla- 
mation. 

Martin looked at him inquiringly. 

“What’s the matter?” he demanded. 

For answer Dick pointed to an automobile that 
was at that moment rounding Fourth street from 
Market. There were four or five figures in the 
machine. 

“There’s Bannister! In that car!” the lad cried 
excitedly. 


168 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


CHAPTER XXI. 

Ralph's ruse. 

When Ralph started off along the lonely Pitts- 
burgh road from Ronessen, he walked rapidly for 
some distance. 

“I’d better get as far as possible,” he told himself. 
“They’re likely to come after me.” 

For several hours he continued at his best pace. 
Then he became tired and walked along more 
more slowly. As he walked, he turned over the 
events of the last few days in his mind. 

“By Jove!” he muttered. “I’m liable to have 
spoiled everything. The fact that I shot Bannister 
and escaped will prove to the others that I was 
armed. If I didn’t kill Bannister, there’s no know- 
ing what he’ll do when he comes to himself. If he’s 
badly wounded, he will put the others wise and set 
them after me. He will also call off the trip to Har- 
risburg. If he isn’t badly hurt, he’ll be a lot more 
careful if he decides to carry out his plans. I don’t 
know what Dick will think, but I couldn’t stand 
there and let him beat me up. 

“Oh, well,” he continued talking to himself as 
he trudged along, “what’s the use of worrying. I’ve 
done the best I knew,” and he quickened his pace. 


ON THE TRAIL 


169 


As day broke, Ralph approached the little village 
of Elizabeth. At the edge of town he stopped to 
rest, thinking he would not go in until some place 
might be open where he could get a cup of coffee. 

While he rested, there came to his ear the hum 
of an approaching automobile. As it came near he 
drew back out of sight. 

“Might be someone looking for me,” he muttered. 

Almost opposite where the lad stood concealed, 
the automobile stopped. A man alighted and looked 
at the engine. 

It was Banister, apparently none the worse for 
his encounter with Ralph a few hours before. 

“I must have hit him somewhere,” was Ralph’s 
mental comment, “but he’s a tough one, all right.” 

Directly Bannister climbed back in the machine, 
and it was at that moment that Ralph was struck 
with a sudden thought. 

“I’ll lose them, he told himself, “and I don’t know 
when I can get a train.” 

As the machine began to move, Ralph darted from 
his place of concealment and sped after the car. 
Seizing the rear fender he drew himself up behind. 
Fortunately for the lad, the curtains were down, 
and he could not be observed from within. 

Holding on tightly, he made himself as comfort- 
able as possible. 

The speed of the automobile increased and Ralph 
found it difficult to hang on as the machine jolted 


170 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


over the rough road. Nevertheless he clung to his 
precarious perch. 

When the machine reached McKeesport, it went 
through the city with only slightly diminished speed. 
Another idea struck Ralph. 

“I guess they’re heading for Harrisburg, all 
right,” he told himself. “If I stick here I’ll spoil 
everything if discovered. Besides, I believe I can 
make as quick time by train.” 

As the machine slowed down at a crossing he 
jumped off. So fast was the car going that the 
lad rolled in the dirt, but he picked himself up 
unhurt. He brushed himself off as well as pos- 
sible, then hurried back to Fifth avenue where he 
caught a car marked “Wilmerding.” 

The ride to Wilmerding consumed half an hour. 
There, much to the lad’s disappointment, he learned 
that he could not catch a train for two hours. 
Several trains would pass through before then, but 
the first local was a good two hours away. 

Nevertheless he managed to pass the time some- 
way, and at the end of the two hours he climbed 
aboard a train bound for Harrisburg. From the 
conductor he learned that a fast express not far 
behind would pass the local at Altoona. By catch- 
ing the express at Altoona, Ralph knew, he would 
save all of half a hour. 

“They’ll get there ahead of me in the machine,” 


ON THE TRAIL 


171 


he said, “but I’ll get the express anyhow. The 
sooner I get there the better.” 

Accordingly, at Altoona he changed trains. 
Aboard the fast express, with Harrisburg the next 
stop, he felt more comfortable. He looked at his 
watch. It was only ten o’clock. He would reach 
Harrisburg by half past one. 

Ralph was making good time. It was only a 
little after four when he had climbed aboard the 
bandit automobile in Elizabeth. The run to 
McKeesport had consumed less than an hour and a 
half, and he had caught a train in Wilmerding at 
eight. Nevertheless, the lad knew that the bandits, 
by avoiding the roundabout route he had taken, in 
all likelihood would reach Harrisburg before he 
did. 

It lacked fifteen minutes of two when Ralph 
stepped from the train in the Pennsylvania state 
capital. 

“Now to find Dick,” he said. 

He hurried to a telephone, where he called Dick’s 
home. There was no answer. 

“Wonder if he can still be in Lancaster?” he 
muttered. “I hardly think so, though. Captain 
Mahon must have taken all necessary steps to 
apprehend the bandits, and Dick ought to be here, 
too. The question is — where?” 

He strolled on to Market street. There, stand- 


172 THE BOY TROOPERS 

in g on a corner, he saw three state troopers. Ralph 
stopped. 

“Wonder if there is any significance in their 
being here?” he asked himself. ‘Til find out.” 
He approached the men. “Do you know Tom 
Hazleton?” he asked of one. 

“Of course,” was the reply. 

“Do you know his younger brother, Dick?” 

“No.” 

Ralph thanked the man and was about to pass 
on, when a second trooper exclaimed: 

“Hold on youngster.” 

Ralph waited expectantly. 

The trooper who had spoken last turned to the 
others. 

“Isn’t that the boy who came from Lancaster 
with us ?” he asked. 

“By Jove! I believe you’re right, Ed. Come to 
think of it, I am certain he was Tom’s brother. 
What do you want with him youngster?” 

“I want to see him,” said Ralph. “I went on a 
mission with him for Captain Mahon, and — ” 

“Anything to do with bank robbers ?” interrupted 
the man called Ed. Ralph hesitated. 

“I—” he began. 

“It’s all right, son,” said the trooper. “You don’t 
need to make a secret of it. We’re here on the 
same case.” 

“Then where is Dick?” demanded Ralph. 


ON THE TRAIL 


173 


“You mean Tom Hazelton’s brother?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well,” said the trooper called Ed, “I don’t know 
exactly where he is, but he’s in Harrisburg some 
place. He came with us last night. But how about 
the bandits? Are they coming?” 

“Coming!” exclaimed Ralph. “They must be 
here by this time.” 

The trooper shook his head. 

“You’re wrong there,” he declared. “We’ve 
been watching every train, and we’ve seen nothing 
that looks like a bank robber.” 

“But they didn’t come by train,” cried Ralph. 

“Then how—” 

“Automobile !” exclaimed Ralph. “I rode behind 
as far as McKeesport, jumped off, took a car to 
Wilmerding and caught a train. They certainly 
must have reached here ahead of me.” 

“Ed,” said a second trooper, “the boy’s right. 
The bandits must have eluded us.” 

Ed muttered an imprecation. 

“It’s Martin’s fault,” he declared. “I knew some- 
thing was wrong when he didn’t show up this 
morning. Either he’s still in bed, or he’s found 
trace of the bandits.” 

“Probably still in bed,” said another sarcastic- 
ally. “I don’t understand how Captain Mahon hap- 
pened to put him in command of this party.” 


174 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Nor I; but the question is what to do now.” 

“You know as much about it as I do.” 

“Guess one of us had better get the Captain on 
the phone. He’ll tell us how to act.” 

“Just a minute,” said Ralph. “Perhaps I can 
help?” 

The men looked at him in surprise. 

“What can you know, youngster?” asked Ed. 
“You’ve only arrived. You don’t know where they 
are.” 

“No, but I know where one of their rendezvous 
is,” said Ralph. 

“So?” said Ed. “That might be worth investi- 
gating. Bill, you get Captain Mahon on the phone, 
round up the other fellows and meet us at the hotel 
in an hour. Frank and I will accompany this boy 
to the rendezvous he speaks of. It may be a wild 
goose chase, and then again it may develop some- 
thing.” 

Thus it was arranged. The man addressed as 
Bill hurried away, while Ed addressed Ralph. 

“Lead the way, youngster,” he said. 

Ralph headed west on Market street, Ed and 
Frank following. 

To Ralph it seemed only yesterday that, accom- 
panied by Tom and two police officers, he had made 
the same trip in an automobile. At Twelfth street, 
he turned to the right and advanced directly to the 
house where, not many days before, Dick had been 


ON THE TRAIL 


175 


held prisoner by Tompkins and his fellow bandits. 
In front of the house he halted, and in a few words 
related the incidents that had occurred at that time. 

“It's hardly likely they will be here,” said Ed, 
“and still it is possible. You say these fellows are 
unaware of the fact that the others have been 
arrested ?” 

“Exactly,” Ralph replied, “which is the reason 
they may be here now.” 

“There’s something in that, Ed,” declared Frank. 

Ed nodded. 

“Well have a look, at all events,” he declared 
grimly. 

The three climbed the steps and rang the bell. 

“Don’t let anybody close the door in our face,” 
Ed enjoined. “When its opened, stick a foot inside.” 

A moment later the door was opened a trifle, and 
the same woman who had answered Tom’s knock 
some nights before looked out and inquired : 

“What is wanted?” 

“We’re looking for a man named Bannister,” 
repied Ed. 

“No one by that name here,” replied the woman, 
and pushed on the door. 

But Ralph quickly thrust a foot forward and pre- 
vented its closing. 

“We’ll have to satisfy ourselves on that score, 
ma’am,” said Ed, and pushing her gently to one 
side, he strode in. 


176 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Frank and Ralph advanced upon his heels. 

As the three pushed by her, the woman uttered a 
loud scream. This was followed by the sound of 
scuffling feet in a room at the end of the hall. 

“Quick!” cried Ed. “They must be here!” 

He dashed forward, his fellow trooper close be- 
hind him. 

His heart palpitating rapidly, Ralph followed the 
trail of his companions. 


CHAPTER XXII 

MARTIN PROVES INCAPABLE 

“Now, don’t get excited, Hazleton.” 

This was Trooper Martin’s admonition when 
Dick caught sight of the automobile bearing Ban- 
nister and his companions along Fourth street. 

“But there they go!’ cried Dick. 

“All right,” said Martin. “Then we’ll get a ma- 
chine and follow them.” 

At that moment a taxi drove past. Dick signalled 
the driver and he and Martin jumped in. 

“Follow that car, driver,” said Martin. Don’t 
lose sight of it.” 

The driver nodded his understanding of the 


ON THE TRAIL 


177 


instructions, and the machine started off at a rapid 
gait. The other car at the time was going slowly, 
so the pursuers had no difficulty keeping it in sight. 

It crossed the Mulberry street bridge, and turned 
to the right at the second cross street beyond. Two 
blocks beyond fourth street, it came to a halt. Mar- 
tin ordered his driver to stop also. 

From the car ahead a man that Dick recognized 
as Bannister climbed slowly to the ground and with 
some difficulty ascended the steps of the house 
before which the machine had stopped. 

“We'll wait till he comes out," said Martin. Ap- 
parently they have not reached their destination, 
or they would all have gone in." 

Fifteen minutes later Bannister reappeared, 
climbed into his machine, which drove off. With- 
out instructions, the driver of the pursuing car made 
after them. 

At the first street the machine turned to the left, 
and again to the left. 

“We’re heading back down town," Dick re- 
marked. 

Martin nodded, but said nothing. 

Dick proved a good prophet. The chase led 
again across the bridge, where the pursued turned 
east on Market street, passed under the railroad 
tracks and started up the hill beyond. 

“By Jove! I know where they’re going," ejac- 
ulated Dick. 


178 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“That so?” said Martin, showing more interest 
than he had previously manifested. “Where?” 

Then Dick related the events of the night he, 
Ralph, Tom and the two police officers had pursued 
Tompkins and the other bandits. 

“I’ve no doubt you’re right,” was Martin’s com- 
ment. “The place evidently is a rendezvous. We 
should be able to trap them there.” 

“Hadn’t we better make sure that’s where they’re 
going and then go for reinforcements ?” asked Dick. 

“We need no reinforcements,” declared Martin. 
“I intend to arrest them single-handed.” 

“That’s a pretty fair-sized order,” remarked Dick. 

“Not so big as it would seem,” declared Martin. 
“One look at my uniform and they’ll throw up their 
hands. Perhaps you don’t know the traditions of 
the state constabulary.” 

“I know they never lose their man,” replied Dick, 
“but I never heard of any such thing as you sug- 
gest. I’m afraid you’ll find they won’t surrender 
so easily.” 

“Pooh!” said Martin. “Just take my word for 
it.” 

But Dick remained unconvinced. 

Five minutes later the car ahead drew up before 
the very house where Dick had been a prisoner not 
so many nights before. The pursuers halted some 
distance away. From there they watched the men 
disappear in the house. 


ON THE TEAIL 


179 


“Take my advice and go around the back way,” 
said Dick. “There may be some chance of getting 
in there. If we go the front way and ring the bell, 
our birds will disappear before we can get in.” 

“That might be a good idea,” Martin admitted. 

Dick led the way around the house, and he and 
Martin climbed the short flight of stairs to the rear 
door. 

“No need to knock,” declared Martin. 

He laid a hand on the knob and threw open the 
door. Then, walking lightly he stepped inside. 
Dick was close behind him. 

The two found themselves in a kitchen, which was 
darkened by drawn blinds. Once inside they stopped 
and listened. They could hear voices in the next 
room. 

“They're in there, all right,” Martin said. 

“Yes,” Dick agreed, “but take my word for it, it 
will be no easy task to apprehend them." 

“Pooh!” said Martin again. “You stay here if 
you're afraid.' 

“I'm not afraid,” Dick protested, “but I believe 
that discretion is the better part of valor.” 

“They won’t even attempt to put up a fight.” said 
Martin. 

“Don’t you believe it. I’ve had some experience 
with their kind.” 

“Well,” said Martin, making himself ready, “I’m 
going in. You can do as you like.” 


180 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Oh, 111 go,” said Dick. 

“Well go quietly, and take them by surprise,” 
said Martin. 

They tiptoed across the floor and the trooper put 
his hand on the door knob. Then, with his auto- 
matic thrust ahead of him, he threw open the door 
and stepped inside, with Dick at his heels. 

“Hands up!” cried Martin. 

Instantly all was confusion inside the room. 
Four men who sat about a table sprang to their 
feet. The hands of the man nearest Martin went 
into the air, as did the hands of the man covered 
by Dick’s weapon. 

Not so the others. 

There was a sharp ‘Crack ! Crack Y as Bannister, 
who sat farthest away, fired twice. 

Dick felt something whiz past his ear and was 
also conscious of a sting in his arm. 

Instinctively the lad pressed the trigger of his 
own revolver, but his aim had been spoiled and the 
bullet went wild. Before he could recover himself, 
Bannister sprang forward and pinned his arms to his 
side. The bandit was a powerful man and Dick 
realized that the best thing he could do was to offer 
no resistance. A deep, red line across Bannister’s 
temple attracted Dick’s attention, and he wondered 
how it came there. 

While Dick was thus rendered helpless, Martin 
was having his own troubles. He had succeeded in 


ON THE TRAIL 


181 


putting one robber out of business, but the others 
were un-awed by his weapon. The last man he 
covered, suddenly dropped to his knees behind the 
table. This put him out of range and Martin, there- 
upon, lost all command of the situation, although 
he fired two more shots in an effort to save himself. 

An instant later, Dick saw Martin stagger. 

Looking down, he discovered that the man be- 
neath the table had thrown his arm around Martin's 
leg. 

Martin kicked out with his right foot and suc- 
ceeded in freeing himself. Stepping back he was 
about to wreak vengenance upon his kneeling assail- 
ant, but ere he could fire, the fourth man of the 
quartet leaped upon him and held him in his grasp, 
until his companion arose from the floor. 

Held by the two, Martin was powerless. 

‘Tie 'em up!" commanded Banister. “I'll hold 
this youngster till you do." 

A length of rope was quickly produced from a 
a closet, and with this Martin's arms were soon 
securely fastened, and the officer was deposited un- 
ceremoniously in a chair. 

“Tie this one up too," Bannister instructed. 

It was the work of only a few minutes to bind 
Dick, who also found himself deposited in a chair. 

Bannister glared at Dick. 

k “So, my suspicions were correct, eh?" he ex- 


182 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


claimed. “Well, you shall suffer for the trouble you 
have caused me.” 

“Where is my friend ?’’ demanded Dick. 

“None of your business. However, if it will do 
you any good, Fll tell you that I have put him away 
in a safe place ?" 

“Have you harmed him ?" cried Dick, struggling 
with his bonds. 

“What if I have?" 

“If you have, you’ll pay for it. You may be sure 
of that." 

“Who’ll pay me, I’d like to know," said Bannister 
with a grin. 

“I will, if no one else," Dick declared angrily. 

“Doesn’t look that way now, does it?" laughed 
Bannister. 

“Maybe not," Dick was forced to admit. “But 
my time will come." 

“Now," said Bannister, “I want to ask you a few 
questions. Is it true that the man you describe as 
Henry is in jail here?" 

“I can’t see any harm in answering that," Dick 
declared. “He is." 

“And where are Tompkins, and Allen, and 
Smith ?" 

“Tompkins," replied Dick, “is also in jail here, 
unless he has been removed to Johnstown. Smith is 
dead. I don’t know where Allen is. I know he was 


ON THE TRAIL 


183 


mixed up in the McKeesport bank robbery, but I 
don’t know where he went when he fled.” 

“You seem to know a lot, nevertheless,” declared 
Bannister, — “altogether too much, to my way of 
thinking. I guess I’ll have to treat you as I did 
your chum ?” 

“How was that ?” demanded Dick. 

“None of your business; but you’ll know soon 
enough. Timmons, dump these fellows into that 
closet, will you, and lock the door ?” 

Martin was disposed of first, then Dick. 

It was dark inside the closet, although a faint 
light streamed under the door. 

“Well,” said Dick to Martin. “Here we are.” 

“Right,” Martin agreed, “here we are.” 

“And we wouldn’t have been here if you had fol- 
lowed my advice and gone for reinforcements,” 
Dick declared. “These fellows wouldn’t have got 
away in the meantime. Looks like they were here to 
stay awhile.” 

“Perhaps,” Martin admitted. “I’ll confess my 
plans miscarried, but who would have expected these 
fellows to offer fight after seeing my uniform.” 

“I would,” declared Dick shortly. 

“Think you’re smart, don’t you,” sneered Martin. 

“Smarter than you are,” Dick replied. 

“When I get you outside I’ll turn you over my 
knee.” 


184 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“A good job — if you can do' it,” said Dick. “I 
don’t think you can.” 

“What! You defy me?” 

“Why not? You’re not much of a state trooper, if 
you ask me.” 

“Why—” 

What Martin might have replied Dick never knew. 
For at that moment the doorbell rang. There was 
a scraping of chairs in the room in which the two 
prisoners were locked, indicating that the occupants, 
startled, were getting to their feet. 

“By Jove!” exclaimed Dick under his breath. “It’s 
just like it happened before. But Tom is in the hos- 
pital, and nobody but Ralph, Murphy and Delehanty 
know of this place. Now, I wonder — ” 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

RALPH TO THE RESCUE. 

“They're back in there P’ cried Ralph, as he 
pushed aside the woman who had blocked his en- 
trance into the house where Dick and Martin were 
now held prisoners, and hurried through the hall. 
“I’m sure of it.” 

“Hold on, youngster; don’t be too swift!” warned 
the trooper Ed. “We’re likely to put our heads into 


ON THE TRAIL 


185 


the lion's mouth if we're not careful. I'm sure the 
sound of shots we heard, came from here. These 
yeggs are full of fight." 

“Right you are, Ed," was the comment of the 
second trooper. “We’d better be careful." 

Even as he spoke, a head appeared, as its owner 
peeked through a slightly opened door at the end of 
the hall, and a shot rang out. 

“Good advice, Frank," said Ed grimly," but a 
little late. There's nothing to do now, but to rush 

> ft 

em. 

The three sprang forward, as the door was 
slammed shut. 

The hall was reasonably wide, so that the two 
troopers and Ralph were able to keep out of range 
of any bullets that might be fired through the door, 
by standing close to the door and keeping their backs 
to the wall. From this position of safety, Ed raised 
his voice and called upon those within the room to 
surrender, in the name of the law. 

The only reply was the splintering of wood, as 
the bandits fired through the door. 

“This'll never do," said Ed. “Suppose you sneak 
out the back way, Frank, and touch ’em up through 
the window." 

In response to the suggestion, Frank quickly made 
his exit. 

“You'd better get out, too, youngster," was Ed's 
advice, as more shots came through the door. 


186 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“I’m not afraid/’ declared Ralph stoutly. 

“I didn’t say you were; but there is no need of 
your mixing up in this fracas.” 

“I’ve been mixed up in it for some time, and I’m 
going to see it through,” was the lad’s prompt 
rejoinder. 

“All right. Have it your own way; but keep out 
of range.” 

From without came the sound of a shot. 

“Frank in action,” Ed explained. “Hope they 
don’t pot him.” 

Frank’s shot was followed by a cry of pain from 
within. 

“Score one for us,” said Ed. “Guess we might 
have a little more action here. Stand back a bit.” 

Ralph did as commanded, 

Ed approached the door, placed the muzzle of his 
revolver against it and fired three times. 

Came another cry of pain from within. 

“Chance shot, but it worked,” said the trooper 
quietly, skipping back to avoid the return fire. 
“They’ll have to change their tactics, or we’ll do for 
them.” 

The sound of firing outside was repeated, indicat- 
ing that Frank was still in the fight. His last shot 
must have told, for suddenly the door flew open and 
two men appeared in the doorway. 

Ed and Ralph fired together and one man fell. The 
other, backed by a third, who sprang over his fallen 


ON THE TRAIL 


187 


companion, were upon the trooper ere he could fire 
again and Ed went to the floor with a dangerous 
wound. 

The hall and the room were now so filled with 
smoke, that almost hid the combatants from each 
other. Taking advantage of this condition, Ralph 
fled, fully realizing how foolish it would be for him 
to continue the unequal combat. One of the men 
started to give chase, but Bannister called upon him 
to stop. 

“Let him go,” he said. “There are probably more 
of them around somewhere. Make ijor the auto- 
mobile !” 

Once outside the house, and finding that he was 
not pursued, Ralph slowed down, and finally turned 
back to investigate. 

There was no sign of the men who had emerged 
from the room, but as Ralph turned the corner of 
the house he espied Frank hidden behind a tree. 

“They’ve gone !” cried Ralph. 

Frank came toward him. 

“All of them ?” he inquired. 

“Three,” replied Ralph. “I don’t know whether 
there were more or not.” 

“Where’s Ed?” 

“On the floor in the hall.” 

“Shot?” 

“Yes. 0 

Together they hurried to Ed’s side. The latter 


188 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


stirred slightly as they bent over him, and a few 
moments later sat up. He placed a hand to his side. 

“Got me in the ribs,” he muttered. 

Frank examined the wound. 

“Nothing dangerous,” he said, “but it will require 
attention. Lend a hand youngster.” 

They lifted Ed and carried him into the room the 
bandits had so recently quitted, where they laid him 
on a couch. 

Ralph looked around, and gave a startled exclama- 
tion. On the floor, arms outstretched lay the man 
called Timmons, who had guarded him the first 
night of his captivity in Ronessen. The lad’s startled 
exclamation drew Frank’s attention to the prostrate 
figure. 

“We did for one of ’em, anyhow, eh?” he said. 
“Well there is one less bandit in the world.” 

Again he gave his attention to staunching the flow 
of blood from Ed’s side. 

In the meantime, Ralph made a tour of the room. 
As he came to a closet at one side, he thought he 
heard a noise within. 

“Frank,” he called. 

The trooper was at his side instantly, ready for 
any enemy that might appear. 

“What’s wrong?” he demanded. 

“There is somebody in this closet,” Ralph declared. 

“That so ? Then we’ll have him out.” 


ON THE TRAIL 189 

He laid a hand on the knob and pulled, but the 
door would not open. 

“Locked/’ he said. “Hello! There’s a key in the 
lock.” 

He turned it and then gave the knob another 
wrench. This time the door flew open, and two 
bound figures were exposed to view. 

“Prisoners,” said Frank in surprise. 

Together he and Ralph entered the large closet, 
and each drew back with an exclamation of surprise. 

“Martin!” ejaculated Frank. 

“Dick !” cried Ralph. 

“It’s me, all right,” replied Dick ungramatically. 
“Untie me, will you ?” 

It was the work of an instant to untie the two 
prisoners, who stepped outside and rubbed their 
numb arms. 

“How’d you get here, Dick ?” exclaimed Ralph in 
the utmost surprise. 

“That will keep,” returned Dick. “The question 
is, how did you get here?” 

“That will keep, too,” Ralph grinned. 

In the meantime Frank and Martin were in deep 
conversation. 

“Where did the bandits go?” asked Martin. 

“Search me?” was Frank’s reply. “I was outside 
when they rushed Ed and this youngster here. I 
don’t know just what happened. Ed, as you can 
see, isn’t in any condition to talk much.” 


190 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“How did you happen to let them get away?” de- 
manded Martin sternly. 

Frank looked at his temporary commander in 
astonishment. 

“How’d w r e happen to let them get away?” he re- 
peated. You don’t think we did it on purpose, do 
you?” 

“Possihly not; but you should have captured 
them.” 

“How?” demanded Frank. “There were only 
two of us, and the lad here.” 

“That doesn’t matter. It was your duty to ap- 
prehend them. You should have made the attempt 
anyhow.” 

“What do you think all this shooting was about?” 
Frank wanted to know. “We did tackle them, but 
they were too many for us. By the way, Martin, 
how did you happen to get in that closet ?” 

Martin flushed, but it was Dick who answered. 

“I’ll tell you,” he said hotly. “He insisted that 
the robbers would throw up their hands the minute 
they caught sight of his uniform.” 

“Wha — what?” said Frank, his mouth open in 
astonishment. 

“Exactly,” replied Dick. “Had he not been so 
bull-headed, not one of them would have got away.” 

“Bull-headed, am I ?” cried the now aroused Mar- 
tin. “I’ll show you. I — ” 

He stepped forward and struck at Dick. But the 


ON THE TEAIL 


191 


lad had been expecting some such move. He dodged, 
and before Martin could recover his balance, Dick’s 
fist shot out. Struck squarely on the nose, Martin 
reeled backward and clapped a hand to his injured 
nasal organ. When he withdrew the hand it was 
red. He stepped forward again to continue the 
fight, but Frank interposed. 

“Here, none of that,” he said to Martin. “Pick 
on somebody your own size. The lad did right.” 

“You defend him?” cried Martin. “I’ll report 
you for insubordination.” 

“Do,” said Frank pleasantly. “I have a tale to 
tell that Captain Mahon would be glad to hear.” 

Martin said no more, but instead turned his at- 
tention to Ed, who was now sitting up on the couch. 

“If you ask me,” said Ed, “I think both of these 
boys have behaved splendidly* It is you who are to 
blame, Martin. All the boys questioned your ability 
when you were put in command of this party, but 
there was no resentment and everyone of them was 
willing to do his best to help you. I can’t say how 
they will feel in the future.” 

“We must get after the robbers,” said Martin, 
apparently stirred to some semblance of action by 
Ed’s words. “Which way did they go ?” 

“How should I know?” demanded Ed. “I was ly- 
ing unconscious on the floor.” 

“Maybe I can help a bit,” said Dick. 

“Do, then,” urged Ed. 


192 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“My idea,” said Dick, “is that they will return at 
once to Ronessen, hoping to reach there in time to 
warn other members of the band should they seek 
refuge there. It is true they will realize their head- 
quarters has been discovered, and they probably will 
abandon it. I figure, however, that much of the 
stolen money and bonds is hidden somewhere in 
Ronessen. Bannister will figure it is worth a chance 
to try and get it.” 

“That’s good reasoning, youngster,” declared Ed. 
“Now, my advice to you, regardless of what Martin 
may say, is to go immediately to Lancaster and re- 
port to Captain Mahon. He will know how to act. 
As for me, Frank here will see that I am taken to 
a hospital and get the necessary medical attention.” 

“Right, Ed,” Frank interposed. 

“Then I shall return to Lancaster, too,” Martin 
declared. 

The others offered no comment. Frank found a 
telephone in another room and called an ambulance. 
Half an hour later Dick and Ralph left the house, 
and a short time later boarded a train for Lancaster. 
Martin, they found, was a fellow passenger. 


ON THE TRAIL 


193 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

TOM REJOINS THE CHASE. 

“So,” said Captain Mahon, looking up as Dick 
and Ralph entered his office, “you have come to re- 
port that the bandits are safely lodged in jail, eh? ,, 

“No, sir,” Dick replied, “we haven’t. The truth 
is they all got away, except one.” 

Captain Mahon sprang to his feet, and at the 
same moment, Martin, who had been slightly behind 
the lads entered the room. 

“What!” roared the commander of Troop G. 
“How did they get away.” 

“I’ll explain, sir,” Martin interposed. 

“Do,” said Captain Mahon shortly. 

“Well, sir,” began Martin, “this youngster here,” 
and he indicated Dick, “and myself tackled the ban- 
dits in their rendezvous without the necessary sup- 
port. They put up a fight and we got the worst of 
it. Later Ed, Frank and this other lad appeared 
on the scene and the bandits fled, leaving one of 
their number dead behind them.” 

“I see,” said Captain Mahon. “How does it hap- 
pen you were forced to attack superior numbers? 
Where was the rest of your force.” 

“We were — ah, separated,” said Martin. 


194 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“So it seems; but what I want to know is why?” 

“I can explain that sir, if you’ll allow me,” Dick 
interposed. 

“Explain then,” said Captain Mahon, sitting down 
again. 

“The reason,” said Dick quietly, “was because 
Martin here wouldn’t get out of bed until ten 
o’clock.” 

Again Captain Mahon came to his feet with a 
roar. 

“What’s that?” he demanded. 

“The boy is mistaken, sir,” Martin protested. “Its 
true I did not see the necessity of arising early, but 
that had no bearing on events that followed.” 

“Yes, it had, sir,” Dick declared. 

Captain Mahon resumed his seat. 

“Now let’s get this straight,” he said quietly. 
“Martin, what time did you get up?” 

“It was almost ten, sir,” Martin confessed. 

“What disposition had you made of your men?” 

“I had them posted at the station, sir.” 

“And how did you expect them to identify the 
robbers ?” 

“Well, I — I — I don’t know exactly, sir. The 
men should have been able to pick up any suspicious 
looking characters.” 

“Not one chance in a hundred,” declared Cap- 
tain Mahon. “So they eluded the men, eh?” 

“They entered the city by automobile sir.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


195 


“And where were you.” 

“Young Hazelton and I were just on our way 
to the station.” 

“And you gave chase?” 

“Yes, sir; in another car. We attacked the men 
in their rendezvous, were overpowered and locked 
in a closet.” 

“And were released by Ed and Frank when they 
arrived on the scene?” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“How did they find you?” 

“I don’t know, sir.” 

“I can explain that sir,” Ralph interposed. 

Captain Mahon signified for him to do so. 

“I’d been there before, sir,” said Ralph. “It was 
simply a chance, and the two troopers I encountered 
on the street were in favor of taking it.” 

“You did well,” said Captain Mahon, and then 
turned to Martin. “I am sorry I cannot say the 
same for you, sir,” he said, “but the fact is you 
were negligent in your duty. I shall take this mat- 
ter up with the colonel and I may as well tell you 
now that I shall recommend your discharge from the 
force.” 

“But, sir — ” began Martin. 

Captain Mahon raised a hand to silence him. 

“There is no good arguing,” he said. “You may 
go now.” 


196 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Martin strode toward the door. At the thresh- 
old he stopped and shook a fist angrily at Dick. 

‘Til get even with you for this,” he declared. 

At that moment a figure stepped through the open 
door, and a heavy hand was laid on Martin’s 
shoulder. 

It was Tom Hazelton. 

“Who is this you are going to get even with?” 
said Tom. Then without awaiting a reply; “Listen 
to me, Martin ; if you have any grudge with a mem- 
ber of the Hazelton family, come to me with it.” 

He released his hold. Martin disappeared througn 
the door. 

Dick and Ralph sprang across the room, and the 
former grasped his brother’s hand heartily. 

“I supposed you were still in the hospital,” he 
said. “I’m certainly glad that you are well enough 
to be out.” 

“And so am I, Tom,” Ralph declared. 

“I wasn’t as badly hurt as the doctor thought,” 
said Tom with a laugh. “It will take more than 
that to lay me up for long.” 

“And I’m glad you’re out again, Hazelton,” de- 
clared Captain Mahon. “This bandit chase has 
been sadly mixed up, so if you are fit I’ll put you 
back in charge of the case.” 

“Never felt better sir,” said Tom, “except for a 
little stiffness.” 

“Very well. Then you can get busy at once,” and 


ON THE TRAIL 


197 


as briefly as possible Captain Mahon outlined events 
that had taken place since the day of the McKees- 
port bank robery. 

“Captain,” said Dick when the commander of 
Troop G had finished, “I hope you won’t let Tom 
send us home now, just when things are getting 
interesting.” 

Captain Mahon turned to Tom with a smile. 

“What do you think, Hazelton?” he asked. 
“Seems to me these lads have rendered service such 
as to justify their claims to be in at the finish.” 

“It would seem so, sir,” Tom agreed. 

“Then we may go with you, Tom?” exclaimed 
Dick. 

“I guess, so,” said Tom, after a moment of hesi- 
tation. “But how do you know I shall leave Lan- 
caster?” 

“Why, you’re going to Ronessen, of course,” said 
Ralph. “That is undoubtedly where the bandits 
have gone. At no other place will you be able sd' 
easily to pick up the trail.” 

“You’re a pretty shrewd youngster,” declared 
Tom. “Yes, I suppose that is where I shall go 
next.” 

“And the sooner the better, Hazelton,” said Cap- 
tain Mahon. 

“Guess you’re right, Captain. “How many men 
shall I take.” 


198 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Half a dozen will be enough I guess. You may 
pick them yourself/' 

After some other conversation, the three took their 
leave. Outside Tom chose half a dozen of his fel- 
lows, who he instructed to meet him at the depot 
at six o’clock in the evening. 

“We’ll eat now,” he told his young companions. 

When they had satisfied their appetites, Tom, with 
a glance at his watch, decided that it was still too 
early to head for the station. 

“We’ll go to the gymnasium,” he said. “There’ll 
be some of the fellows there and we can kill time 
easier.” 

Dick and Ralph offered no objections, and Tom 
led the way. 

As Tom had predicted, the gymnasium, fitted up 
for the use of the troopers, was fairly filled, the 
troopers being engaged in various forms of ath- 
letics. The first man upon whom Dick’s eyes 
alighted was Martin. 

The latter sighted Dick and his companions at 
the same time. At the moment he was playing hand 
ball with two other men. He left the court and 
approached Dick and his companions. 

“You are trying to have me fired from the force,” 
he said, “and I don’t intend to stand for it. You’ve 
got your brother with you now, but the first time I 
find you alone I’ll repay you with interest.” 


ON THE TEAIL 


199 


“That so?” said Dick with a grin. “Better look 
out, or you’ll bite off more than you can chew.” 

“And if that isn’t enough I’ll take a hand myself,” 
Tom declared. 

Martin sneered. 

“That’s right,” he said, “he isn’t big enough to 
look out for himself.” 

“I’m big enough to take care of you, though,” 
declared Dick angrily. “If you don’t think so, just 
try me.” 

“I’d try you right enough, if you weren’t three 
to one,” declared Martin. 

By this time a crowd had gathered around. 

“Don’t let him bluff you, youngster,” said a voice. 
“I think he’ll run the first time he’s hurt.” 

Martin whirled on the speaker. 

“You attend to your own business,” he shouted, 
or you and I will mix.” 

“No such luck,” said the other trooper. “The 
boy there is about your size.” 

“You bet I am,” said Dick, “and if he’ll put on 
the gloves with me, I’ll show him a thing or two.” 

“That’s the spirit, youngster,” cried several of the 
men together, and other voices took up the cry: 
“Get the gloves ! Get the gloves !” 

Tom took Dick by the arm. 

“Look here; you can’t do this,” he said. 

“Why?” demanded Dick. “He’s no bigger than 


200 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


I am, and no stronger. He may be a couple of years 
older, but that’s all. 

“He’s at least five years older,” Tom protested. 

“What of it? I’m almost a match for you, and 
I know Martin isn’t.” 

By this time the clamor for gloves had grown to 
shouting. Tom, looked at his watch. 

“We’ve still an hour to catch our train,” he said. 
“If you want to soil your hands with this fellow, 
I’ve no objections. I know you can take care of 
yourself, Dick!” 

“That’s the stuff!” cried the others, dancing 
around. “Get the gloves!” 

Two pairs of gloves appeared as if by magic. 
Martin divested himself of his coat, and rolled up 
his sleeves. Dick followed his example. 

“I’ll second you,” said Tom to Dick, and a man 
named Williams offered to stand in Martin’s corner. 

An officer named Barclay agreed to referee. 

“All I insist upon is that the bout shall last no 
more than five rounds,” said Tom. “We’ve a train 
to catch. “Besides, Dick can finish him off in less 
time than that.” 

Thus it was arranged, and after a consultation 
between principals and seconds, the man selected to 
act as timekeeper called time. 

Dick and Martin squared off. 


ON THE TRAIL 


201 


CHAPTER XXV. 

THE FIGHT. 

The crowd cheered as Dick, instead of waiting 
for his heavier and more mature opponent to come 
to him, advanced. The lad feinted with his left, and 
struck with his right. 

The blow was blocked, however, and Martin’s 
glove tapped Dick lightly on the cheek. Dick stepped 
back, and for a moment the two sparred without at- 
tempting to deliver a blow. 

Martin tired of this directly and came forward 
with a rush, apparently thinking to push Dick off his 
feet. The lad side-stepped neatly, however, and 
struck Martin a stinging blow over the left ear. 

“That’s the boy!” cried the men surrounding the 
combatants, and Dick knew there was scarcely a 
man there who had any use for Martin. 

Again Martin rushed and again Dick sidestepped 
and planted a second blow over his adversary’s ear. 
Then, instead of waiting for Martin to recover him- 
self, the lad followed up his advantage and stepped 
in close. 

“Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!” 

He played a tatoo up Martin’s body with both 
hands. 


202 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


And the crowd cheered again. 

Martin lowered his head, and protecting his face 
with his gloves, bored in. Dick was ready for this 
and skipped nimbly around the improvised ring. He 
stopped once or twice and planted light blows on 
Martin’s stomach. 

The round ended with Martin pursuing Dick 
around the ring. 

When time was called for the second round, Dick 
stepped quickly to the center and met Martin with 
a straight left as the latter came forward. It was 
a short blow, but it staggered Martin, and he stepped 
back. 

Instantly Dick was upon him, striking right and 
left, and for a moment it appeared that Martin could 
not withstand the attack. But he covered up fairly 
well, and finally placed himself in a position where 
he could counter. 

A heavy blow struck Dick on the mouth, and a 
second, under the ear, sent him reeling. 

Martin rushed. 

“Clinch ! Clinch !” came voices from the ringside. 

Dick made a desperate effort and succeeded in fall- 
ing into a clinch, where he hung on until his head 
cleared in spite of Martin’s frantic efforts to shake 
him off. Then, when they were broken by the ref- 
eree, he stepped back and sparred carefully. This 
he continued to do until the round was ended, but 
it was Martin’s round. 


ON THE TEAIL 


203 


“Don’t let him get too close,” Tom advised his 
brother during the minute’s rest. “Keep him off 
and you’ve got him. He’s stronger than you, but 
you can outbox him easily and get a decision on 
points.” 

“I don’t want a decision on points,” declared 
Dick. “I’m going to knock him out.” 

“Better be careful or you’ll go down for the count 
yourself,” Tom advised. 

Dick took it easy the third round, standing Mar- 
tin off with such pretty boxing that the crowd 
cheered itself hoarse. This seemed to anger Martin, 
who made several desperate efforts to end the bout 
with a knockout. 

But Dick weathered the storm, and the third 
round ended with Dick much the fresher of the two. 

“Good work, Dick,” said Tom between rounds. 
“Keep it up and you’ve got him easily. That cer- 
tainly was pretty boxing.” 

But Dick shook his head. 

“I’m going to knock him out,” he declared. 

So far the lad had not put his full strength be- 
hind a blow, and in not doing so he had a reason. 
He figured that Martin would think that he had not 
the strength to deliver a knockout, and so might 
leave the opening for which he waited. 

But the opening did not come in the fourth round. 
Dick pushed matters a bit in this round. In the last 
minute of fighting, he tied Martin into a knot by a 


204 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


series of dazzling feints, and then delivered a hard 
left to the body, followed by a stinging right to the 
nose. 

Martin rushed forward and clinched. They were 
still clinched when the round ended. 

‘Til get him this time,” Dick told his brother just 
before time was called. “He figures I can’t hit 
hard enough to hurt him, and he’s determined to put 
me out.” 

“Better be careful,” Tom advised again. 

The referee called time for the last round. 

“Shake hands,” he said as the boxers approached 
each other. 

Dick put forth a glove to follow instructions, but 
Martin ignored it. 

“Shame!” were the cries from the ringside. 

Martin flushed a trifle, then advanced with a rush. 

Once more Dick sidestepped and planted a neat 
left just over Martin’s left ear. Martin shook his 
head and bored in. 

Dick backed away until he was in a corner of the 
ring. Then he stepped suddenly forward, feinted 
once, twice, three times, and struck with his left. 

The blow landed flush on Martin’s mouth, split- 
ting it. Dick shot his right to Martin’s nose with 
stinging force, and the man staggered. Dick bored 
in. 

Martin fought back as well as he could, but he 
was plainly no match for Dick’s superior boxing. 


ON THE TRAIL 


205 


Dick, with victory within his grasp, threw cau- 
tion to the winds and rushed his man. Martin landed 
two clean blows as the lad advanced, but these while 
they checked the lad, did not stop him. 

At close range Dick shot a hard left to Martin's 
stomach. Martin gasped, bent forward and covered 
his stomach with his hand. 

It was the moment for which Dick had been 
waiting. 

His right fist shot forward with the full force of 
his shoulder behind it. 

“Smack!” 

The blow landed squarely on the point of Martin's 
chin. 

“Crash!” 

Martin went over backwards, hit the floor with 
a loud thump and lay still. 

Dick stepped back as the referee began to count. 

“■ eight, nine, ten,” the referee droned, "and 

out.” 

He stepped to Dick's side and lifted the lad's arm 
high above his head in token of victory. 

And the crowd cheered again. 

Dick helped the referee lift the fallen Martin to 
a chair, where consciousness presently returned to 
the trooper. 

Dick stuck out his hand. 

“No hard feelings, I'm sure,” he said. “I was 
lucky. You’d probably beat me next time.” 


206 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Martin only scowled. 

“Don’t think I’m through with you,” he muttered. 
“This only adds to the score, and you may be sure 
that I’ll get even with you if it takes a life-time.” 

“Sorry you feel that way about it,” declared Dick, 
“but I’m ready for you any time.” 

He walked away and rejoined Tom and Ralph. 

Ralph slapped him affectionately on the back. 

“You’re certainly some fighter,” he declared. “I 
didn’t think you had it in you.” 

“Nor I,” said Tom. “I figured you were in for 
a trimming, and I was going to stop the bout when 
it got too hot. Why, I don’t believe I can outbox 
you myself.” 

“I don’t believe you can, either,” Dick declared. 

“You don’t, eh?” said Tom with a grin. “Now 
don’t get too cocky just because you were a little 
lucky. I may have to take you down a peg or 
two.” 

Dick grinned. 

“I’m ready any time,” he said. 

The crowd of troopers gathered around the lad 
with exclamations of delight. 

“We’ll have to have you in some of our matches,” 
declared one. 

“I’m always willing to entertain,” said Dick with 
a smile, “but Tom and the rest of the family might 
offer objections.” 

“You can bet on that,” Tom interposed grimly. 


ON THE TRAIL 


207 


“Tom,” said Ralph pulling out his watch, “it’s 
getting late ? Hadn’t we better be heading for the 
station ?” 

“We certainly had,” Tom declared. “Get into 
your coat, Dick, and come on. We haven’t any time 
to lose.” 

Dick did so, and the three left the gymnasium and 
started for the depot. 

“You’ve made an enemy, Dick,” said Ralph as 
they walked along. 

“And a bad one, I’m afraid,” Tom agreed. “Mar- 
tin has never been popular with the boys on the 
force, and he will be even less popular now. This he 
will attribute to you, Dick, and my advice to you is 
be on the lookout for some underhanded trick. I 
wouldn’t trust him as far as I can throw a cow by 
the tail.” 

“Nor I/’ said Ralph. 

“He can’t fool me,” returned Dick. 

“I wouldn’t be too sure,” said Ralph. “If he’s 
dismissed from the force, there is no telling to what 
lengths he may go to get even with you.” 

“That’s so, too,” Dick admitted. “I’ll be on my 
guard.” 

At the station they were joined by the half dozen 
men who were to accompany them to Ronessen, and 
fifteen minutes later they were aboard the flyer 
headed toward Harrisburg. 


208 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“We’re doing a lot of travelling lately,” said 
Ralph, as they rode along. 

“We sure are,” agreed Dick. 

“More than you’ll do again for some time to 
come, I’ll warrant, when this chase is over,” de- 
clared Tom, who had overheard the conversation. 
“I shall see to it that you are mixed up in no more 
of this business.” 

Neither Dick nor Ralph felt inclined to argue the 
question. Dick changed the subject. 

“We’ll stay in Pittsburgh tonight, I suppose?” he 
said. 

“Yes,” said Tom. “We’ll go out to Ronessen 
first thing in the morning.” 

“Well, I hope we find the bandits,” said Ralph. 
“I don’t believe they will escape us again.” 

“You can place a small bet on that, young one,” 
said Tom grimly. “And now if you’ll just be quiet 
for awhile, I’ll try to get my thoughts together and 
outline a plan of campaign.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


209 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

BACK IN RONESSEN. 

“Here we are in Ronessen again,” said Dick. 
“What’s the program Tom?” 

It was ten o’clock the morning of the day after 
they had left Lancaster. The night had been spent 
in Pittsburgh, and the party, composed of Tom, 
Dick, Ralph and half a dozen troopers had caught 
almost the first train for Ronessen. They were now 
standing upon the station platform in that village. 

“Where’s that poolroom you were telling me 
about?” asked Tom. 

“Couple of blocks up the street,” replied Dick, 
pointing. 

“Guess we may as well head that way then. We 
may be able to pick up a clue there?” 

“Why not first visit the shack where Ralph was 
held prisoner?” asked Dick. 

“Not a bad idea, either,” declared Tom. “We’ll 
go there first.’"’ 

Dick and Ralph led the way. 

There was no one in the shack when they arrived, 
and the interior showed no sign of recent habita- 
tion. 

“They may turn up, though,” remarked Ralph. 


210 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“I’ll leave three men here anyhow,.” Tom decided. 
“They’ll be sufficient to take care of any who appear. 
The rest of us will go to the poolroom.” 

Again Dick and Ralph led he way. Ten minutes 
later the six trooped into the poolroom. Dick 
glanced around for the proprietor who had put him 
in touch with Bannister several days before. The 
man was not there. He approached a man behind 
a cigar case. 

“Where’s the proprietor ?” he demanded. 

“I’m the proprietor,” was the reply. 

“But,” said Dick, “I was here several days ago 
and — ” 

“Oh,” said the man behind the cigar case, “I 
just bought the place yesterday and took it over this 
morning. Grimm sold out to me.” 
t “So his name was Grimm, eh?” interposed Tom. 

“Yes.” 

“Where is he now?” 

“I don’t know. Probably at home.” 

“Do you know where he lives ?” 

“Spring street. I don’t know the number, but it’s 
two blocks down. Red brick house on the far side 
of the street. Spring is the next street above here.” 

“Thanks,” said Tom. “Do you know a man 
named Bannister.” 

“Only by sight.” 

“Seen him around this morning?” 

“No.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


211 


“All right,” said Tom. “Come, men.” 

He led the way from the poolroom. 

“Tom,” said Dick, as his brother was about to lead 
the way toward Spring street, “why not stop and 
see my friend the night clerk. He may know some- 
thing, although he didn’t wire me as he promised.” 

“We’ll do that,” said Tom briefly, and motioned 
for his brother to lead the way. 

At the hotel Dick learned that the night clerk was 
sleeping, but when he explained the urgent nature 
of his request to see him, the day clerk sent a boy 
to awaken him. The night clerk came down a few 
minutes later. 

“Hello,” he said, upon recognizing Dick. “Back 
again, eh?” 

“Yes, and upon the same errand,” replied Dick. 
“Have you seen Bannister lately ?” 

“Yes. He was in here this morning before seven 
o’clock.” 

Tom whistled. 

“Must have made fast time,” he muttered. 

“Didn’t hear him say where he was going, did 
you?” he asked of the clerk. 

“No, but he seemed to be in something of a hurry, 
although he’s walking lame. Had two men with 
him.” 

“Know where he lives ?” 

“Somewhere on Spring street. Boards there with 
a man named Grimm, I believe.” 


212 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“That's enough,” declared Tom. “Come, men, 
we’ll find him there now unless he has moved quicker 
than I believe he has. Or wait. Dick, you go to 
the shack on the railroad tracks and get the rest 
of the men. I may need a full force to handle this 
gang” 

Dick hurried away, and the night clerk addressed 
Ralph. 

“See you came through all right, anyhow,” he 
remarked. “Glad of it.” 

“Thanks,” said Ralph. “Did Bannister seem 
much hurt ?” 

“Seemed pretty lame and had a mark on his 
forehead.” 

“That must have been where I hit him,” said 
Ralph. 

“By the way,” said Tom to the clerk, “did you 
happen to hear Bannister address one of his com- 
panions by name?” 

“Yes; he called one of them Allen.” 

Tom whistled again. 

“By Jove! The men who robbed the McKees- 
port bank must have returned,” he said. “Ap- 
parently they have joined forces. Where can I hire 
a couple of automobiles around here?” 

“Black’s garage, straight down: this street, one 
block.” 

“I’ll do that now,” Tom declared. “Tell Dick 
and the others to wait until I come back.” 


ON THE TRAIL 


213 


He strode from the hotel. 

At the garage he arranged for two high powered 
automobiles. 

“Don’t know how long I shall want them,” he 
explained to the man in charge, “nor how soon, if 
at all. I’m rounding up a gang of bank robbers, 
and I want these machines ready to give chase if 
any of them should elude me. I want drivers who 
are not afraid of speed.” 

“I’ll see that you get them,” the automobile man 
promised. “I’ll have them in front of the garage 
here, ready for use, in ten minutes.” 

“Good. Have the drivers at the wheels, for if 
I want the cars I’ll want them in a hurry.” 

“They’ll be ready for you.” 

“Good!” exclaimed Tom again, and hurried back 
to the hotel. 

Dick and the men from the shack had not yet 
arrived, so Tom sat down to wait for them. They 
came in a few minutes later, however, and Tom led 
them from the hotel. 

The party experienced no difficulty in finding 
Spring street, and it was only a short walk to the 
house that had been described to them as Grimm’s. 

Tom posted two men in the rear of the house, 
one on either side, and with the others at his heels 
climbed the steps. He found no bell, so he rapped 
sharply on the door with his knuckles. 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


214 ! 


There was no reply, so after a moment’s wait, 
Tom rapped again. 

A window was raised on the second floor, a head 
looked out and a voice demanded. 

“What do you want?” 

“I want a man named Bannister, another named 
Grimm and all other occupants of this house,” re- 
plied Tom quietly. “Come down and open the 
door.” 

The head from the window was hurriedly with- 
drawn and the window closed with a bang. 

“We’ll have to look sharp or we’ll be trapped,” 
Tom declared. “There is no telling how many there 
are inside.” 

He drew back his foot and gave the door a hard 
kick. 

But the door stood firm. 

“I can’t wait to knock it down,” Tom muttered, 
“so here goes.” 

He placed the muzzle of his revolver against the 
door and blew off the lock. Then he pushed the 
door open and stepped inside, Dick, Ralph and two 
troopers stepping in after him. 

“Jenkins,” cried Tom, “you guard the door. The 
rest of you come with me. Guns ready !” 

He darted toward a pair of stairs a few feet from 
the door, and climbed them rapidly, with Dick, 
Ralph and the remaining trooper at his heels. 


ON THE TRAIL 215 

“Maybe they're dowm stairs," panted Dick, as 
they ran up. 

“I’ve enough men to take care of them if they 
are," returned Tom. “But I want to get up these 
steps. If the stairway is not guarded we may find 
ourselves in trouble." 

Dick recognized the force of this reasoning. 

As Tom’s head appeared on a level with the floor 
above, a shot rang out. Neither Tom nor his com- 
panions paid the slightest attention to it, and a mo- 
ment later they were all in the hall on the second 
floor. 

Tom surveyed the hall rapidly. 

“In here," he cried, and jumped for a door that 
stood half open, close to the head of the stairway. 

All reached the shelter of the room safely. Tom 
examined it closely, for he was fearful that one of 
the bandits might be concealed there. 

“We command the stairway, at all events," said 
Tom, “and we have the house surrounded." 

“Maybe so," Dick replied, “but by the same token 
the bandits also command the steps. “They can’t 
go down without exposing themselves, but neither 
can we." 

“You’re right, youngster, up to a certain point," 
said Tom. “We have friends without to cover us, 
and they haven’t." 

“Looks like a deadlock to me," said Ralph. “The 
bandits, or some of them at least, are in some room 


216 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


on this floor. They can’t come out and we can’t go 
in and get them.” 

“And we can’t starve them out,” Dick agreed. 
“We don’t want to wait that long, I’m sure.” 

Tom went to a window, raised it and called to 
the trooper who was on guard below. 

“Call the rest of the men, and all of you come up 
here.” 

“What’s the idea, Tom?” Dick wanted to know. 

“We’ll rush them,” was Tom’s reply. “There is 
no use waiting. We’ll have to do it some time. The 
sooner the better, is my idea.” 

“Right you are,” said one of the troopers. 

Directly the sound of footsteps were heard on the 
stairs. Tom poked his head through the door, then 
withdrew it hurriedly as a bullet skimmed past. 

“They’re on the job, all right,” he declared, “but 
I’ve got to protect those fellows coming up the 
steps.” 

He poked his weapon round the comer, fired in 
the direction from which the shot had come, and 
then leaped into the hall. 

For the moment he was master of the situation. 


ON THE TEAIL 


217 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE FIGHT IN THE HOUSE. 

“This way, men!” cried Tom, keeping- his eyes 
on the room across the 1 hall at the top of the stairs, 
ready to act the instant a head might appear. 

The rest of the troopers climbed the steps in 
safety, and from the room where they had found se- 
curity a few moments before, Dick, Ralph and the 
two other troopers also emerged into the hall. 

Tom waved Dick and Ralph back. 

“Keep out of danger, now,” he cried. “There 
are enough of us here to attend to these fellows 
without your risking your lives.” 

Dick and Ralph stepped back several paces, but 
they remained on the offensive, ready to leap should 
the occasion offer. 

“Ives,” instructed Tom, “you and Kellar stand 
on either side of that door. The rest of us will 
rush it. 

The men indicated took up their positions. 

“Now !” cried Tom, and the others hurled them- 
selves against the door. 

The door gave way with a crash, and the troop- 
ers threw themselves to the floor. Not a man lost 
his balance, however, and they were immediately 


218 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


ready for action, in spite of the volley of shots that 
greeted them. 

Taking in the scene at a quick glance, Tom saw 
that there were at least half a dozen or more of the 
bandit gang in the room, and recognized the fact 
that there was sure to be a hard struggle before the 
robbers were overcome. 

“At ’em men !” he cried, discharging his weapon 
at a tall man directly before him. 

But Tom had fired without taking good aim and 
the bandit did not fall, although his left arm dropped 
to his side. Deliberately the man covered them, but 
before he could fire, a trooper dashed forward and 
struck up the man’s arm. 

The two clinched, and rolled over on the floor. 

The mass of men was so thick that neither side 
could use firearms without the risk of hitting friend 
as well as foe. Consequently, the combatants re- 
sorted to clubbed revolvers and bare fists. 

Tom found himself beset by two men. He dodged 
the blow aimed at him by the man on the left, and 
planted his left fist squarely in the man’s face. The 
robber toppled to the floor. At the same moment 
the other man hurled himself forward with a spring, 
and Tom felt a pair of hands meet around his throat. 

Tom kicked out his foot, and his heavy regulation 
boot found its mark. The grip on his throat re- 
laxed as the robber reached for his injured shin. 
Tom’s clubbed revolver dropped him to the floor. 


ON THE TEAIL 


219 


Again Tom took in the scene. 

Both sides were struggling fiercely. Two troop- 
ers lay on the floor, together with three bandits. 
Tom counted the remaining bandits. There were 
five of them, while, besides himself, only four troop- 
ers survived. 

Tom dashed into the thick of the melee. 

The impetus of his charge disconcerted the ban- 
dits, who gave ground. Immediately the officers 
were on top of them, following up their advantage. 

Suddenly one of the bandits disengaged himself 
from the mass, stepped back several paces, and be- 
fore anyone could prevent it, opened fire. 

Two troopers dropped, and the bandits, thus heart- 
ened, sprang to the attack anew. 

In spite of the fact that for the moment his men 
appeared to be getting the worst of the encounter, 
Tom deserted them long enough to step back and 
take a pot shot at the bandit whose fire had been 
so effective. 

The man dropped like a log. 

“So much for you,” said Tom between his teeth. 

There were now four bandits still on their feet, 
and among these, although Tom did not know the 
man, was Bannister. 

With a sudden rush, Bannister and his followers 
broke through the officers and dashed into the hall. 
The troopers were after them with wild cries. 

Dick and Ralph, who had followed Tom’s in- 


220 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


structions and kept out of the fighting, were so 
taken by surprise when the bandits dashed into the 
hall, that Bannister was half way down the steps 
before Dick could interfere. Then, both he and 
Ralph threw themselves into the chase as down the 
steps dashed the other bandits, with the troopers 
on their heels. 

At the bottom of the steps Bannister staggered, 
but regained his balance and kept on. 

Out into the street ran the bandits, and headed 
around the house. 

There, as the troopers darted after them, Tom 
saw their objective — a large touring car. Bannis- 
ter sprang to the wheel and the machine moved off 
even as the last of the four bandits swung himself 
aboard. 

Bending low in their seats, the bandits escaped 
the volley of revolver bullets that the officers sent 
after them. 

“Quick !” cried Tom, “Follow me, men!” 

He dashed in the wake of the car which was head- 
ing in such direction as to take it by the garage 
where stood the machines that he had provided 
against just such a contingency. 

Dick and Ralph ran after the others. 

Directly past the garage sped the bandit car, and 
by the time the officers, afoot, had reached there and 
leaped into the first machine, the robbers were some 
distance ahead and graining at every instant. 


ON THE TRAIL 


221 


There were still four troopers, besides Tom, able 
to continue the chase. With Dick, Ralph, and the 
driver of the machine, one automobile was loaded 
to capacity. 

“Can you catch ’em?” asked Tom of the driver 
as the car began to move. 

“I think so,” was the reply. 

Tom leaned over his seat and addressed Dick, who 
was trying to make himself comfortable in the rear 
with the others. 

“Pretty big load,” he said, “but we can hold the 
road better if we have to get much speed.” 

“We’ll need the speed, all right,” declared Dick. 

“Then it’s a good thing we are well loaded back 
there,” decided Tom. “We’ll get them.” 

“We’ve got to get them,” Ralph interposed. 

The chase was continued in silence. 

For perhaps ten minutes the bandit car retained 
its lead, and then gradually the pursuers began to 
gain. 

From time to time pursuer and pursued flashed 
by other cars along the road, and several times it 
was by the narrowest of margins that collisions were 
averted. 

Dick, from his seat in the tonneau, could not but 
admire the skillful driving of their chauffeur. He 
seemed as cool as though the car were going only 
ten miles an hour instead of almost sixty, ab at 
that moment. 


222 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“We’re gaining, Tom,” cried Ralph. 

Tom nodded, but made no reply. 

But now the road became more crooked. Both 
pursuers and pursued were forced to slow down for 
sharp curves, and in this sort of racing the pursuers 
seemed to have the better hand at the wheel. 

Ten minutes later, entering on a straight stretch 
of road, it was apparent to all that the bandits had 
regained their early lead. 

But now the driver of the pursuing car increased 
his speed until the machine seemed to be flying 
rather than running upon a surface. 

“Wonder Where they’re heading for ?” said Ralph 
to Dick, raising his voice almost to a shout to make 
himself heard. 

“Don’t know,” Dick shouted back. “Just any 
place to shake us off the trail, I guess.” 

Suddenly the car ahead was seen to slow down. 

Dick and Ralph uttered cries of satisfaction. 

The pursuing car sped down upon its prey. 

Figures leaped from the bandit auto and darted 
across the road as the pursuers grew close. The 
car bearing the troopers also slowed down, and came 
to a stop several yards from the stationary bandit 
car. 

“Engine trouble, I guess,” declared Tom, as he 
sprang out. 

Dick and Ralph, as they alighted with the others, 
perceived that the spot where they had stopped was 


ON THE TRAIL 


223 


flanked on either side by rather dense clumps of 
trees. It was into this maze that the bandits had 
disappeared. 

As Tom dashed toward the trees on the trail of 
the bandits, a spurt of flame came from the woods 
and his hat leaped from his head. 

Tom threw himself flat in the road, and the suc- 
ceeding volley flew over his head. 

To Dick and the others it looked as though Tom 
had been hit, and they dashed forward with loud 
cries. 

But Tom picked himself up, and motioned the 
others back. 

“Get under cover !” he cried, and himself led the 
way to the trees on the opposite side of the road to 
that on which the bandits had sought refuge. 

There he called the others around him. 

“Time for a council of war/’ he declared. 

“And they’ll make off while we talk,” Dick 
protested. 

“We won’t talk long,” said Tom quietly. “Dick, 
I guess I’ll have to depend on you and Ralph a bit 
after all.” 

“That’s good,” said Ralph. 

“What shall we do, Tom?” demanded Dick. 

“There are seven of us,” said Tom, “not includ- 
ing our chauffeur, who will keep out of this.” 

He paused and considered a moment, then con- 
tinued : 


224 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Ives, you, Kellar and the boys walk a hundred 
yards back and cross the road. We’ll cover you 
from here. After you are across, the rest of us will 
make a dash.” 

This order was obeyed without question. 

Under the cover of Tom and the two troopers, the 
crossing’ was made safely, although they drew the 
fire of the bandits. Then the four stood at the edge 
of the trees, and watched Tom lead the others across 
the road. 

“Well, we’re all across,” said Dick. “Now what, 
I wonder.” 

“We’ll work toward the enemy,” said Ives. 

He led the way. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

THE FIGHT CONTINUES. 

The battle was now on. 

Revolvers now began to crack with considerable 
frequency. 

From both sides of the bandits, the troopers 
advanced. 

“Like Guerilla fighting,” declared Dick. 

“How do you know?” demanded Ralph. 


ON THE TEAIL 


225 


“Well, I never did any of it, if that’s what you 
mean,” Dick admitted, “but its my idea of guerilla 
fighting, just the same.” 

Every time a man or boy stepped forward, he was 
careful to take advantage of the shelter offered by 
the trees. 

“These fellows are liable to elude us anyhow,” 
declared Ralph. 

“I hope not,” returned Dick. “We’ve had a lot 
of fun and all that, but it’s about time these fellows 

were rounded up. We wheel Almost got me 

that time!” 

For a bullet had zipped past his left ear. 

Dick jumped for the tree ahead, which he reached 
safely in spite of the fact that several bullets came 
dangerously close. 

Ralph sprang safely to the shelter of a tree, some 
twenty yards from his chum. 

Peering from his refuge, Ralph saw the form of 
a man behind a tree perhaps forty yards distant. He 
was only partly exposed, but taking careful aim and 
pains not to expose himself, Ralph fired. 

The bandit dropped his revolver and wrung his 
arm in pain. 

“I hit him, anyhow, even if I didn’t put him out 
of the fight,” declared Ralph to himself. 

Tom’s forces, in the meantime, had also been ad- 
vancing cautiously through the woods. Several 


226 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


times they had drawn the fire of the bandits, but so 
far none had been hit. 

But this good fortune was not to continue, nor 
could it be expected that it would. 

A trooper named Helgoson, in attempting to get 
a bead on one of the robbers, exposed himself too 
recklessly and was laid low with a bullet through the 
shoulder. A moment later Tom’s other companion 
also stopped a bullet and fell to the ground. 

This left Tom by himself on the far side of the 
robbers. Profitting by the unfortunate fate of his 
two companions, he kept out of sight. 

At length, however, one of the robbers, unaware 
of Tom’s close proximity, stepped from his place of 
concealment in an endeavor to locate the officers. 

Tom’s revolver spoke sharply, and the man top- 
pled over. 

“Only three more left,” muttered Tom to himself. 

The game of hide and seek continued. 

For the space of perhaps half an hour not another 
shot was fired, both hunted and hunters being con- 
tent to keep their places of refuge and let the others 
take the next step. 

“We’re not getting any place this way,” muttered 
Ives to Kellar, who stood behind a tree close to him. 
“Those fellows are directly ahead of us, and we’ve 
got to get them. “I’ll poke my hat on a stick, and 
you shoot the man who tries to draw a bead on it.” 

“That old trick won’t work,” Kellar protested. 


ON THE TRAIL 227 

“Maybe it won’t, then again maybe it will,” re- 
turned Ives. “It’s worth trying, anyhow.” 

He placed his hat on the end of a stick which he 
picked up from the ground and cautiously poked it 
around the tree. 

There was a flash of fire in the distance, followed 
by a sharp report, and the cap leaped from the stick. 

But the result was fatal for the man who had fired. 

Kellar, keeping close watch, fired the minute the 
bandit exposed himself, and the man went down. 

There were now only two of the bandits able to 
continue the struggle, and one of these was 
Bannister. 

For the space of perhaps fifteen minutes there was 
perfect silence. Then, from his place of conceal- 
ment, Dick saw Tom break from cover and dash 
toward a tree behind which he knew a bandit was 
hiding. 

Dick raised his revolver to cover Tom’s advance, 
but it was unnecessary. The bandit fired at Tom, 
but the bullet failed to find its mark. 

Chancing to look in Ralph’s direction, Dick was 
astonished to see a figure, some distance beyond 
Ralph, sneaking from one tree to another. 

“That’s Bannister, or my name’s not Hazelton !” 
he cried. “How on earth did he get ’way over 
there ?” 

Dick raised his voice and called Ralph’s attention 
to the man. Ralph raised his revolver and took a 


228 THE BOY TROOPERS 

snap shot. He missed. Bannister reached the next 
tree safely. 

Dick now saw that Tom was advancing again, 
and he called the attention of Ives and Kellar to the 
fact. 

“If you rush together, you can get him,” the lad 
cried. 

“Good advice, Ives,” said Kellar. “The boys 
can protect us from the other.” 

“Let’s go, then,” said Ives. 

The troopers dashed from their refuges together, 
and ran toward the tree behind which the bandit 
was hiding. Tom also darted forth. 

Revolvers began to crack again. 

Dick, glancing again to where Bannister had so 
recently disappeared, gave a startled exclamation. 

“There he goes !” he cried. 

Indeed, Bannister had thrown caution to the 
winds and was running like mad for the road. 

“After him!” cried Ralph. 

Both lads sprang from their shelter and dashed 
forward. 

They gained on Bannister, and each fired twice as 
they ran. Suddenly the bandit stopped behind a 
tree, and fired at Ralph. 

But the lad had anticipated this move, and fallen 
flat. Bannister turned his revolver on Dick, but he 
skipped nimbly to shelter. 

Again Bannister took to his heels. 


ON THE TRAIL 229 

This time the lads came together as they took up 
the pursuit. 

After running perhaps twenty yards, Bannister 
again jumped behind a tree and fired at them. 

Again his bullets went wild, and again he ran. 

“Wonder where he’s heading for?” called Dick, 
from the tree behind which he had sought shelter.” 

“He’s got something on his mind,” Ralph called 
back. 

Suddenly they came to the edge of the road, only 
to discover that Bannister had disappeared behind 
the car in which the troopers had pursued the ban- 
dits and in which the chauffeur still sat, as though 
nothing at all was going on. 

Out of the range of the boys’ guns, Bannister 
poked his revolver into the face of the chauffeur and 
ordered him to the ground. The man climbed down 
without protest. 

“Shoot him, Ralph!” cried Dick. “He’s out of 
my range !” 

“Mine, too !” Ralph shouted back. 

Bannister emptied the contents of his revolver in 
the general direction of Dick and Ralph, just for the 
purpose of making them keep to their shelter, and 
then jumped into the automobile. 

Apparently the chauffeur had not shut off his en- 
gine, for the machine leaped forward. 

Dick and Ralph dashed into the road 

“He’ll get away!” exclaimed Dick. 


230 THE BOY TROOPERS 

He emptied his revolver after the car, but without 
result. 

Ralph also fired after the moving automobile, 
but with no better effect. 

“Come on, Dick,” he cried, and dashed toward the 
abandoned bandit machine, which stood a short dis- 
tance away. 

“No use,” said Dick, as he ran after his chum. 
It won’t go or they would not have abandoned it.” 

Quickly Ralph threw up the hood and looked at 
the engine. 

“Looks all right,” he declared. 

He examined the gasoline tank and the water 
supply. 

“Full !” he exclaimed. 

He leaped into the seat. 

“Get in !” he cried to Dick. 

The latter obeyed, expostulating. 

“I tell you it won’t go,” he declared. 

“And I say it will,” replied Ralph. 

He threw in the clutch and the car moved! 

“What did they want to abandon it for?” de- 
manded Dick, as the speed of the machine increased. 

Ralph shrugged. 

“You’ve got me,” he confessed. Doesn’t seem to 
be anything the matter with it.” 

“Think you can run her all right?” Dick wanted 
to know. 


ON THE TEAIL 


231 


“Why not? I’ve run father’s car many a time.” 

“But you can never overtake that fellow.” 

“He’ll know he’s been in a race before he gets 
through,” declared Ralph grimly. 

“But hadn’t we ought to wait for Tom and the 
others?” demanded Dick. 

“If we do this fellow is sure to get away.” 

“I know. But the others may be in need of us.” 

“Can’t help that now. Besides, there are enough 
of them to take care of three wounded bandits. No; 
I believe its up to us to keep track of Bannister, if 
that’s really who the man in the car ahead is.” 

“It’s Bannister, all right,” declared Dick. “I am 
sure of that.” 

“So am I. That’s why I don’t want to lose him. 
I tell you Dick, I am convinced that he’s the ring- 
leader of this gang.” 

“I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. He at least is one 
of the leaders.” 

“I believe he’s the master mind of the organiza- 
tion,” Ralph declared. “He did the thinking and 
the others simply followed his instructions.” 

“Maybe you’re right. Well, we won’t lose sight 
of him again if we can help it.” 

“You bet we won’t,” Ralph agreed. 

“Although you probably can’t keep up with him,” 
Dick protested. 

“I’ll keep up with him if this machine will hold 
together,” Ralph declared grimly. “If he can go a 


232 


/the BOY TBOOPEES 

hundred miles an hour, so can I — unless you’re 
afraid.” 

“Go to it,” said Dick. “I can stand it if you can. 
There’s one consolation; if I’m killed I’ll have com- 
pany.” 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

TOM RENEWS THE CHASE. 

When Tom, from his place of concealment, saw 
Ives and Kellar dash directly toward the one remain- 
ing bandit, he too left his shelter and sprinted. 

The bandit, surrounded, emptied the contents of 
his revolver at Ives and Kellar, and then stepped 
forward with upraised hands. 

“I surrender,” he said. 

“Watch him, Ives,” said Tom. “Kellar, you 
come with me. There may be more of them 
around.” 

A hurried search revealed the bodies of two ban- 
dits on the ground. Tom then turned his attention 
to the fallen troopers. Both of these, he found, 
were badly though not necessarily fatally wounded. 

“There is one bandit missing,” Tom said, when 
he, Ives and Kellar were together again. 


ON THE TEAIL 233 

“I saw the boys making after one who was head- 
ing toward the road,’ , said Kellar. 

“Then we’ll go that way, too,” Tom decided. 
“Here, Kellar, lay hold and we’ll carry the injured 
men to the car. Ives, you bring that fellow along.” 

But when they reached the road, there was no 
sign of an automobile. The chauffeur sat on/ an 
old log, whistling. 

“Where are the automobiles?” demanded Tom. 

“Gone,” said the chauffeur. “One of the bandits 
dispossessed me, and the two boys followed him in 
the other car.” 

Tom was nonplussed. 

“We’ve got to have a conveyance of some kind,” 
he said at last. “Ives, you and Kellar watch the 
road, stop the first machine that approaches and 
commandeer it. The wounded have got to be rushed 
to the nearest hospital. Here, chauffeur, you come 
with me and help me carry the men to the road.” 

This was soon done, and the four wounded men 
were made as comfortable as possible while Tom en- 
deavored to bind their wounds with strips of 
clothing. 

Suddenly Tom was attracted by a cry from Ives. 

“Here comes a car,” he said. 

With Kellar, the trooper took his stand in the 
middle of the road, and waved his hands. The 
approaching car slowed down. It was occupied by 
two men. 


234 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“What do you want ?” demanded the driver. 

“We want your car,” said Ives shortly. “We've 
a couple of wounded men here that require imme- 
diate attention.” 

“But there is not room for all of us,” the driver 
protested. 

“Then/ you'll have to get out,” said Ives. 
“Hurry.” 

It seemed that the man would protest further, so 
Ives insisted in the name of the state. 

“Hurry!” he said. 

Then men alighted, grumbling. 

The four wounded men were lifted into the large 
touring car and made as comfortable as possible. 
Then Tom took the wheel. 

“Climb in,” he said to Kellar and Ives. 

The men did so. 

“How about me?” demanded the chauffeur who 
had driven them from Ronessen. 

“Hang on the step,” said Tom. 

The car started off, leaving the men who had so 
recently been passengers protesting at the top of 
their voices. 

“Which way, Hazelton?” asked Ives. 

“We're heading toward McKeesport,” said Tom, 
“but I believe Elizabeth is only a few miles away. 
We’ll leave the wounded in the hospital there, turn 
the prisoner over to the authorities and see if we 


235 


ON THE TRAIL 

can pick up the trail of the other bandit and my 
brother and his chum.” 

And this is the program that was followed. 

Inquiry in Elizabeth revealed the fact that two 
automobiles had passed through the little town at 
breakneck speed, fifteen or twenty minutes before 
the third car arrived. 

“We may as well resume the chase,” said Tom, 
“though there is little likelihood that we shall over- 
take them.” 

“Those kids have got a nerve,” declared Ives, as 
the car sped along. “Wonder if they think they 
can handle that fellow alone?” 

“They’re liable to try it,” declared Tom. 

“And they’re both liable to get hurt,” remarked 
Kellar. 

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” replied Tom, “which 
is the reason I’m going to try and get a little more 
speed out of this boat.” 

The speed of the car increased until it seemed 
fairly to fly over the ground. 

Meanwhile, what of Dick and Ralph. 

In spite of the speed at which Bannister drove his 
car, Ralph managed to keep it in sight, except at 
such times as rather sharp curves hid the bandit 
momentarily from view. 

“You’re some driver, Ralph,” Dick shouted, to 
make himself heard above the roar of the rushing 


236 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


wind and the motor. “He won’t get away if you 
can keep this up.” 

“I’ll keep it up, never fear,” Ralph shouted back. 
“We’ll catch him all right, barring accidents.” 

Ahead Ralph saw that they were approaching a 
settlement. Though the lad did not know it, he was 
at the outskirts of McKeesport. 

The traffic became thicker now, and Bannister was 
forced to slow down to assure his own safety. Con- 
sequently, for a moment or two, the pursuing car 
gained. 

But it was for a few moments only, then Ralph 
found himself forced to reduce the speed of his car 
because of the traffic. 

From the center of the road to the right, both 
cars, — pursuing and pursued — rocked crazily as they 
sped along. Several times collisions were avoided 
by the narrowest of margins. 

Into the principal street of McKeesport dashed 
Bannister, reducing his speed only slightly. The 
car driven by Ralph was now less than four hundred 
yards behind. 

Once the boys gained, as Bannister was forced to 
come to an abrupt stop to avoid crashing into a 
street car. But a moment later this same car blocked 
Ralph’s way, and Bannister resumed his lead. 

And so the chase continued through the city, — 
pedestrians gasping and scurrying for safety as the 


ON THE TRAIL 


237 


cars sped through the streets, — and directly the road 
opened beyond. 

McKeesport was soon left far behind. 

Nevertheless, neither driver was able to get the 
best out of his car, for the reason that after leaving 
McKeesport, traffic along the road was considerably 
congested. 

It was ticklish work driving at such speed, but 
neither Bannister nor Ralph was minded to slow 
down. 

With the cars keeping their relative distance, the 
chase led through Braddock. Pittsburgh was now 
less than ten miles away. 

“If he gets into Pittsburgh we’re likely to lose 
him altogether, Ralph!” Dick shouted. 

“I know it,” Ralph shouted back, “but I don’t 
seem to gain any more. Is your gun loaded ?” 

“No. Why?” 

“Then you’d better try and load it. If we come 
up with him you’ll probably need it.” 

In spite of the rocking of the machine Dick man- 
aged to load his revolver, after some effort. 

“Pass yours over and I’ll load it, too,” he called 
to Ralph. 

“Can’t take my hand off the wheel going at this 
speed,” Ralph called back. “It’s in my coat pocket 
nearest you. Get it.” 

Dick did so after some difficulty, and after load- 
ing it put it back again. 


238 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“We’re ready for him, anyhow,” he shouted. 

“The next thing is to catch him,” declared Ralph. 

Ahead, Bannister suddenly slowed down again, 
and Dick and Ralph soon made out the reason. 

What appeared to be a procession of automobiles 
was coming toward them. Ralph knew that for 
the sake of safety, he, too, should reduce his speed. 

Instead, however, the lad shut his lips firmly, and 
the automobile sped past the machines coming from 
the opposite direction with the speed of an express 
train. 

This manoeuver, the lads soon saw, had permitted 
them to gain fully two hundred yards on the bandit 
car. 

The two machines were so close now that Dick 
and Ralph could see Bannister plainly. From time 
to time the man looked over his shoulder, and ap- 
peared to be making desperate efforts to increase his 
speed. 

But now the boys were gaining steadily. 

Ahead loomed a steep downgrade, with an even 
steeper upgrade beginning at the foot of it. During 
the chase it had been the habit of both Bannister and 
Ralph to slow down somewhat for the declines, and 
Bannister did so now. 

Not so Ralph. 

The pursuing car crept up on its objective slowly, 
and after the downgrade had been negotiated sue- 


ON THE TEAIL 


239 


cessfully, the pursuing car overtook the other by 
leaps and bounds as the upgrade began. 

“We’ll overtake him before we reach the top!” 
cried Dick excitedly. 

“Right you are!” Ralph shouted back. “Get 
your gun out and see if you can plug his tire.” 

Dick wasted no time in argument. His revolver 
appeared in his hand as if by magic, and he blazed 
away three times. 

And at the last shot he gave an exclamation of 
satisfaction. 

From ahead there came the muffled sound of an 
explosion, and the bandit car rocked crazily 

Bannister steadied his machine, and then, realiz- 
ing that he was brought to bay at last, applied the 
brakes. 

Before the machine came to a stop, he leaped to 
the road and started forward at a run. 

In one hand he held his revolver, making a des- 
perate effort to load it as he ran. But this is a 
difficult task, as anyone will tell you who has tried 
it. The car driven by Ralph was directly behind 
him. 

Ralph brought it to an abrupt stop. 

“Jump out, Dick, and cover him !” Ralph shouted. 

Dick did not take time to open the door. He 
sprang over the side, and when he struck the ground 
he was only a dozen paces from Bannister. 


240 


THE BOY TBOOPERS 


Dick levelled his revolver. 

“Hands up!” he cried. 

By this time Ralph also had left the car, and was 
dashing forward. 

For a moment it appeared that Bannister would 
obey the lad’s command. His hands went up 
slightly. Then, apparently changing his mind, he 
suddenly clubbed his revolver and leaped for Dick. 

“Look out!” cried Ralph. 


CHAPTER XXX. 

END OF THE TRAIL. 

Bannister's move was so unexpected that Dick 
for the moment forgot, apparently, that he was 
armed. Instead of pulling the trigger he half low- 
ered his arm and stepped back. Recovering him- 
self, he raised his arm again, but before he could 
fire Bannister closed with him. 

The bandit had dropped his own weapon when 
Dick confronted him, and now, with a swift move- 
ment of his arm, he sent Dick’s spinning fifteen feet 
away. 

Dick avoided Bannister’s first blow by stooping 


ON THE TRAIL 


241 


quickly. Coming up, he struck Bannister heavily 
in the stomach with his right fist. The man gasped, 
but stepping quickly forward he aimed a vicious 
blow at the lad. 

This, too, Dick avoided, by sidestepping quickly. 
Before Bannister could follow it up, Ralph sprang 
to his chum’s assistance. 

Ralph struck Bannister heavily in the face, and as 
Dick stepped out of range of the bandit’s fists, Ralph 
leveled his revolver and cried : 

“Hands up there, or I shall fire !” 

Bannister was too thoroughly aroused by this time 
to heed the lad’s cry. Instead of raising his hands 
in token of surrender, he wheeled and rushed at 
Ralph. 

Ralph’s revolver spoke sharply. At that range a 
miss was impossible. The bullet struck Bannister 
in the left shoulder, and his arm fell powerless to 
his side. 

But even then the bandit continued the fight. He 
sent Ralph reeling with a powerful blow of his un- 
injured arm. Following up his advantage, he aimed 
a second wicked blow at the lad, but this was inter- 
cepted by Dick, who sprang forward, striking right 
and left. 

Bannister gave ground. 

“Come on, Ralph. We’ve got him !” Dick cried. 

The lads rushed in to close quarters. 


242 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


Bannister struck out viciously with his right, but 
the boys escaped the blows by quick dodging. 

Dick, circling around, at last found the oppor- 
tunity for which he had been waiting, and sprang in. 
His arms closed around Bannister from behind. 

In vain the bandit tried to shake him off. Dick 
hung on like a bull terrier, Ralph the while delivering 
hard blows to Bannister’s face and body. 

After several minutes of this, Ralph also clinched. 
Dick thrust a leg behind Bannister, and with a sud- 
den push tripped the man, who fell heavily to the 
ground. 

Both lads pounced on top of him. 

“Might as well settle this, I guess,” said Ralph to 
himself. 

He raised his revolver, which he had feared to 
discharge when the fighting became close and 
brought it down on Bannister’s head with a thud. 

Bannister gave a groan and lay still. 

Dick and Ralph got to their feet and surveyed 
their fallen opponent. 

“Guess that settles it,” declared Ralph. “Let’s tie 
him up.” 

Quickly he shed his coat and shirt. The latter 
he tore into strips, and with them the lads bound 
Bannister’s hands and legs. 

“Now to get him into the car,” said Dick. 

Bannister was a big man and the lads lifted him 


ON THE TRAIL 243 

into the car with the greatest difficulty. But at last 
the job was done. 

“Now what?” demanded Ralph. “Shall we go 
back and look for Tom?” 

“Guess we may as well,” Dick replied. “I’ll sit 
in the rear seat and guard Bannister when he comes 
to” 

He walked to where his revolver lay and picked 
it up. 

“I’m going to hang on to this this time,” he de- 
clared. 

He climbed into the rear seat, and Ralph again 
took his place at the wheel. Then he turned the 
car, and headed it back toward McKeesport. 

“Funny we weren’t interrupted during the strug- 
gle,” he called back to his chum. 

“Right,” Dick returned. “With all the traffic 
farther back, it is funny there wasn’t a machine pass- 
ing during the melee.” 

“Tell you what,” said Ralph. “It wouldn’t sur- 
prise me if we came across Tom and the others 
along the road.” 

“We might,” Dick agreed. “Better keep a sharp 
lookout.” 

And this was exactly what happened. 

The lads had passed through Braddock again and 
were drawing close to McKeesport when Ralph 
caught sight of Tom at the wheel of a passing 
automobile. 


244 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


“Tom !” he cried. 

But Tom also had seen Ralph, and was bringing 
his car to a stop. It turned directly, and overtook 
Ralph soon after he had brought his own machine 
to a standstill. 

“ Where’ ve you been?” demanded Tom, rushing 
up to the car. 

“After Bannister,” returned Ralph. 

“So he got away, eh?” 

“No he didn’t. Dick is standing guard over him 
in the rear seat. He’s unconscious.” 

“No he isn’t,” declared Dick, as Tom peered in. 
“He’s just coming to life again. What do you want 
to do with him, Tom?” 

“I’ll take charge of him,” was Tom’s grim com- 
ment. “First, however, we must drive this car back 
to McKeesport and leave it for the owner.” Then, 
as an after thought: “Where’s the car I hired in 
Ronessen ?” 

“A few miles farther on, with a blown-out tire.” 

“Then the chauffeur had better take this car and 
go after it. You go with him, Kellar, and bring 
this machine back to McKeesport.” 

In accordance with these instructions, Tom and 
Ives climbed into the automobile with Dick and 
Ralph, and Tom took the wheel from Ralph. 

“We may as well complete the joruney by auto- 
mobile,” he said. “We can reach Lancaster before 
morning without hurrying, and I want to turn this 


ON THE TRAIL 245 

man Bannister over to Captain Mahon personally. 
He's the head of the gang, you know." 

“I didn’t know it," said Dick, “but I suspected 
as much." 

“So did I," Ralph agreed. 

“Well, its a fact," Tom declared. “The man we 
captured in the woods this afternoon has confessed." 

“And what happened to the others?" asked Ralph. 

“They’re in the hospital at Elizabeth," Tom 
replied. 

“Were any of our men hurt?" 

“Two. I left them in Elizabeth also. They’ll be 
all right in a week or so, I feel sure." 

“I’m glad to hear that," declared Dick. 

“Same here," Ralph agreed. 

The trip to Lancaster was made without further 
incident. Driving at a moderate gait, it was after 
daylight when they drove into the little city. They 
went at once to headquarters, where Bannister’s 
wound was dressed and he was locked up pending 
the arrival of Captain Mahon several hours later. 

In spite of the fact that they were dead tired, 
neither Dick nor Ralph turned in. Both were anx- 
ious to see the Captain and report the success of 
their enterprise. 

It was after eight o’clock when the commander of 
Troop G reached his office. He immediately had 
Bannister before him and questioned him at length. 


246 THE BOY TROOPERS 

Satisfied at last, he ordered the man remanded to 
his cell. 

“Well, that’s the last of the bandit gang,” he de- 
clared rubbing his hands in satisfaction, and if it’s 
any satisfaction to you boys, I want you to know 
that it was mainly through your efforts that the band 
was exterminated, and the ringleader brought to 
justice.” 

Both lads blushed. 

“Thank you, sir,” they said. 

“It is I who should thank you,” protested Cap- 
tain Mahon. 

“We’re glad to have been of service, sir,” de- 
clared Ralph, “and if we can help in any way at 
any time, we should be glad to have you call on us.” 

“I’ll remember that,” declared Captain Mahon. 

Tom, who had been an interested listener, 
laughed. 

“I guess it’ll be a long time before you are mixed 
up in any more such adventures,” he said. “I in- 
tend making it my business to see that you are kept 
at home. It’s too dangerous work for lads of your 
years.” 

“But we didn’t get hurt, Tom,” Dick protested. 

“I’ll admit you were pretty lucky,” Tom con- 
fessed. “But your luck might not hold good next 
time.” 

“That sounds as though there might be a next 
time,” said Dick with a grin. 


ON THE TRAIL 


247 


“Well, there won’t if I can help it,” declared Tom. 

“By the way,” interrupted Captain Mahon, “there 
was a long distance call for you last night. Hazel- 
ton.” 

“Where from, sir?” Tom wanted to know. 

“Harrisburg. I believe your father was on the 
’phone.” 

“By Jove! I didn’t expect he would return for 
several days yet,” said Tom. “Now I’m in for it. 
I’ll have to answer for your absence, Dick.” 

“Just tell them I was with you, Tom,” said Dick. 
“That will make it all right.” 

“I’m not sure of that. But I know one thing. 
You’re due for a good wigging when you get home.” 

“I guess you’re right,” said Dick, with a rueful 
smile. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Ralph interposed, “if 
my folks had a few things to say, too. Mother 
didn’t know I was going to be gone so long and she 
is doubtless considerably worried.” 

“Best thing we can do,” suggested Dick, “is to 
telephone them at once and let them know we’re all 
right. That’ll help some.” 

“Good idea,” laughed Captain Mahon. “You 
may use my ’phone.” 

The calls were soon made Dick talked with his 
father and Ralph with his mother. 

“Father was rather inclined to be angry at first,” 
Dick explained to Tom, “but he finally said it might 


248 


THE BOY TROOPERS 


be for the best. 'Get home as quick as you can/ 
were his last words.” 

'‘Mother didn’t seem to mind a whole lot,” said 
Ralph: "She said she was sure she could trust me. 
I tell you, she’s a great mother!” 

"Never forget that, my boy,” said Captain Ma- 
hon; "but now I am going to do something that may 
make both your parents feel better over what you 
have done. You know that the governor offered 
$5,000 reward for the capture of the Johnstown 
bank robbers. I feel that you boys should share in 
that reward, and I am going to give you a letter to 
the governor to that effect. I want you to call on 
him at the state house. He’s a real man and he’ll 
be glad to see you. I know him well, and he never 
forgets that he was once a boy.” 

The lads were so surprised that for a moment 
neither could reply, but they finally found their 
tongues sufficient to express their thanks in a suit- 
able manner. 

Half an hour later, with Captain Mahon’s letter 
in their possession, they left Lancaster, with the best 
wishes of the captain and all the troop. 

Captain Mahon’s prediction proved perfectly cor- 
rect. When the parents of the boys read his letter 
to the governor, they were more than pleased that 
their sons had been instrumental in bringing such a 
dangerous band of criminals to justice. 

They were doubly pleased, when, on the following 


ON THE TEAIL 


249 


day, the lads were received by the governor in the 
executive office and not only given a voucher for 
$500 each, but publicly thanked by him for their 
courage and good judgment under most trying con- 
ditions. 

The Patriot published a full account of their ad- 
ventures and also of their interview with the gov- 
ernor, so that the boys felt that they had really 
earned the right to be called The Boy Troopers. 

The further adventures of the lads in aiding to 
bring evil doers to bay will be found in a succeeding 
volume entitled The Boy Troopers in the North- 
west ! or With the Canadian Mounted Police. 


THE END. 

















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